Second Chances
by Daughter of Horus
Summary: He survived the Battle for Kanna. Now he has to heal, and find a way to regain what he's lost...but how do you regain someone if you never had them in the first place? UkyoKirara KatsuShino
1. Heal!

Err…(expects to be hit by rotten vegetables) I really don't know what possessed me to write this. No, wait—I do. My obsession with Ukyo. (dodges rotten vegetables and large pieces of furniture)

Disclaimer: If I owned Samurai 7, Ukyo would have grown a spine.

* * *

Dr. Kanzaki surveyed his surroundings. A hospital room. Clean white sheets. A window, with a view of a small backyard garden. The smell of antiseptic and blood and despair.

And a patient—a young man with long hair. Both legs and his left arm were in casts, and his head and face were bandaged. He had been flown in last week by a Yakan unit. Taking off his cap, the pilot had begged for help.

"Doctor, he's dying. Please save him."

And so that was how a small clinic in Kougakyo had accepted into their care an unknown man with multiple fractures and a serious stomach wound. The doctor had done what he could, but the man refused to wake from his deep coma.

Taking the only chair, Kanzaki stared into space. _Who are you? How did you get these wounds? And…do you have family waiting for you?_

* * *

In the village of Kanna, the graves of the four samurai that died to protect it were arranged on a cliff overlooking the rice fields. But they were not the only monuments.

In a field of flowers, a girl was making a memorial. She choked back a sob as she placed a piece of wood, carefully carved with three simple characters, on the small mound of earth, then turned with a start at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Akemi-san? Are...are you alright?" Kirara stood there, looking concerned. The black-haired gunslinger from Kougakyo had barely eaten since the battle for Kanna.

Her companion put a brave, false smile on her face. "I'm fine, Kirara-chan. You just startled me, is all—thought you were Shimada coming to kill off the rest of the family. I'll be down for lunch soon." Kirara left, feeling relieved that her friend was acting a bit more like her old self.

Akemi turned back to the memorial, and the tears she had been holding back began to flow in earnest. "Oniichan…I'm sorry." _I know you're not dead. You can't be dead. Even though I couldn't protect you. Stupid durian-induced stomachache—and Shimada left me behind!_ She thought back to that day, remembering her shock and tears at the realization that the samurai had left her and her dual handguns with the peasants—and that her brother would almost certainly be killed without her intervention.

_Kirara-chan is safe, though. That's what you sent me to do, after all. I may not have protected you, but I will guard Kirara until you return._

* * *

"Can you hear me?"

Slowly, Ukyo blinked awake. "Aaagh…" _What happened? The last thing I remember was…_ He gasped in shock. _Kirara-kun! The capital…_

The man continued, either oblivious to Ukyo's realization or choosing to ignore it. "You're in Kougakyo. My name is Hajime Kanzaki. I am the doctor at this clinic. Don't try to move," he added, as Ukyo attempted to do just that. "You've been unconscious for several weeks, Amanushi-sama."

"Wha…?" He coughed, a dry, hacking rasp; the doctor motioned to a nurse, who filled a glass with water and slowly poured it down Ukyo's throat, as he could not move his arms.

Kanzaki sighed. "You were carried in by a Yakan pilot a month ago. You had multiple fractured ribs, a broken arm, compound fractures in both legs, and a concussion. Oh, yes, and we had to stitch your intestines back together as well. The estimated recovery time for your injuries is…3 more months."

A long pause.

"Amanushi-sama, do you—"

Ukyo shook his head slowly. "Ukyo. Please, just call me Ukyo. And please, _please_, leave me alone for a while."

Once they left, he turned to gaze out the window. _Kirara-kun…_Over and over, a scene played in his memory.

He was on the deck of a transport vehicle, gazing through bleary eyes at a terrified Kirara and…what was her name? Kirara's sister? Komachi, that was it. His dear sister Akemi made a move toward him, but before she could reach him, he was struck by that damned living scrap heap calling itself "samurai". The look of terror on his darling Kirara-kun's face was even more painful than the blows raining down on him.

_Kirara…Akemi…no matter what, I swear that I'll find a way to see you again. Even if I have to give up everything I worked so hard to achieve. _

* * *

"Well, you seem to be mending well. You'll be able to remove that cast soon, Ukyo-sama."

Ukyo smiled, wincing as the action pulled the bandages on his face. "That's great. Doctor, I've been wondering…who else did you rescue?"

Dr. Kanzaki blinked. "Excuse me?"

"From the capital…there must have been other survivors. Who are they?"

The doctor could not meet his patient's eyes, staring instead out the window. "I'm so sorry to have to tell you this."

Ukyo's eyes widened in shock. His voice was hollow as he replied "There were no survivors, were there?" The doctor shook his head. "None were found."

"…I see. Can you leave me alone for a while?"

As the doctor left, Ukyo stared at his hands, wanting desperately to curl up into a ball and disappear, but knowing that his bandages would not permit even that simple act. _Tessai…Tessai is dead. He's dead! And…and it's all my fault. If I hadn't attacked Kanna-mura… _Shudders coursed through his body as he started to sob brokenly.

* * *

It was the middle of autumn, and once again, Akemi knelt in front of her brother's monument. "Hey, oniichan. You wouldn't believe what's been happening since the last time I spoke. Kirara-chan's been teaching me to cook! I'm pretty good at it too—except for the whole setting-half-the-kitchen-on-fire thing, which wouldn't have happened if Shimada hadn't come in and scared the living daylights outta me. Can you believe it? He and that Katsushiro-kun _will not leave_. I refuse to speak to either of them.

She stood up shakily and did a little pirouette. "Look, see? I have new clothes! Shino-chan—you'd like her, she's cool—she gave me some of her old clothes that didn't fit anymore. They're a little worn, but they'll do."

Her eyes started to fill with tears again. "I miss you, oniichan. Please…wherever you are, come back soon."

"Akemi-san?"

"What? Oh, Kirara-chan. Stop sneaking up on me like that!"

"Sorry. I just wanted to give you some lunch." With that, Kirara handed her a steaming bowl of rice and chopsticks. Akemi took it gratefully and dug in, while Kirara looked at the memorial. It was simple; a mound of earth, with Ukyo's name carved into a piece of wood that had been stuck into it. There were also, strangely enough, spent bullet casings pressed into the dirt.

"Akemi-san, what's this for?"

Akemi grinned and tapped the handguns that were, even now, strapped to both thighs. "You see these? When I was 4, Tessai was teaching my brother how to shoot. I begged him to teach me too, but he said 'Wait till you're older'. So, four years after that, I myself started to learn how to shoot. And I was naturally gifted, if I do say so myself. These handguns were prizes I won in a national tournament."

Kirara had to admit she was impressed. She never thought Ukyo would be the type to lift a finger if he didn't have to, never mind take up shooting. "Was he any good?"

"'Was he any good?' He won tournaments—been going national since he was fifteen—and he collects guns the way that famous samurai Benkei did with swords. He's good with handguns, excellent with rifles, and not all that great with machine guns. If he'd been better…" She trailed off, clearly thinking of the destruction of the capital.

At that, Akemi finished her rice bowl and walked down the hill, leaving Kirara standing there alone. She looked at the memorial, and a thought occurred to her.

_I wonder if, underneath all that powder and perfume, you would smell of battle._

* * *

In that unnamed clinic in Kougakyo, Ukyo was finally taking off his bandages—made difficult by the fact that his arm had only been out of its cast for about a week. He winced as the cloth stuck to the beard stubble, a few shades darker than his hair. _I really need to shave. _And then he shakily left the bed and faced the mirror on the wall, slowly peeling his hospital-issued shirt off.

The bandages on his ribs were gone, replaced by a thick, straight line of scar tissue which ran from just under the left side of his ribcage to the opposite hip, blending into a large, shiny scar where his ribs had evidently been broken. There were scars on his face as well, following his cheekbone under his right eye. His hair had grown even longer, and now was almost long enough for him to sit on. _Damn, Akemi was right—my hair really is long._ Even his eyebrows had grown out, and he decided he liked the look. The muscles and calluses he had earned from years of shooting were starting to fade, and he made a mental note to start exercising as soon as possible.

_Ouch. I look like a war refugee. I can't be Amanushi like—_He sat back down heavily on the bed as a thought occurred to him. _Do I really still want to be Amanushi? It nearly got me killed._ And then he thought of his sister, probably crying for him. _Or plotting inventive, painful ways to kill Kambei Shimada. That's more her style. She doesn't even know I'm still alive._ Now he regretted not going with her when she met him in the capital.

**Flashback**

"Oniichan! Oniichan, you're alright!" Akemi ran towards her brother, hugging him fiercely.

"A-Akemi? What the hell are you doing here?" She replied, still clinging to him like a lifeline, "Rescuing Kambei-sama, but I guess he took care of that himself. Kirara-chan and that big mecha-samurai used Father as a human shield to get in and free the women—turns out their friend Sanae is the former Amanushi's concubine."

She finally let go of him, looking up at his face. "So, what've you been up to, _yonjukyu_? **(1.) **Besidesthe whole committing-regicide-and-taking-over-the-throne bit, I mean." He stared at her. "How--?"

"Father told me. Now," --she grabbed his sleeve--, "come on, you have to see Kirara-chan before she leaves!"

"No, wait!" He pulled free, glaring at her. "I can't see her now. I have a meeting to attend, and I'm already late." _I'm not ready to face her again._ "Goodbye, Akemi-chan."

She backed away and murmured, "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but the samurai want to kill you. I'm going to try to stop them. Goodbye, oniichan—and for Benzaiten's sake, stay away from Kanna Village!" **(2.)**

"Wait—"

She turned back to him, eyes bright with the promise of tears. "I'll miss you, oniichan, but until you grow a spine, I don't want to see you again."

**End Flashback**

_I should have listened to her. But I didn't, so what am I going to do now?_

A knock on the door snapped him out of his reverie, and he pulled his shirt back on as a young woman in a nurse's uniform entered the room. With her short, light blue-gray hair, strong build, and brown eyes, she looked familiar, though Ukyo couldn't place her.

"Ukyo? Are you feeling well?"

"Nurse, I need a favor. Umm…could you cut my hair, please?"

As she settled herself so that she was kneeling behind him on the bed, he missed her sly smile—rather like his own, in fact--as she pulled out a pair of scissors. "Wow, it really grew fast. How short do you want it?"

As she cut his hair, he found himself telling her about himself; how he knew he had been the son of a peasant, but had no memories of his life before being adopted at the age of four by Ayamaro, how he had seen his adopted mother killed by a mechanical samurai assassin two years later, and how that had left him with a deep hatred of mechanical samurai. "Sometimes, I think I remember something about my early life—seeing a village destroyed by Nobuseri. But it's so vague, I'm not sure if it's real or not."

As she brushed hair clippings off his back, he thought he heard her murmur, "Oh, it was real, alright," but dismissed it as his hearing playing tricks on him.

"You know, Ukyo, if you want to know about your birth mother, this may help." With that, she handed him a thick folder, clearly labeled Results of the Imperial Cloning Project. He stared at it in shock. "This is—"

"There. All done." She held up a mirror. Ukyo gasped, less at his newly shoulder-length hair then at the realization that, according to the mirror, he was all alone. He spun around, but the only sign of the mysterious "nurse" was the folder she had put into his hand. He paged through it rapidly. "One, two…thirty-three…forty-five…" When he reached 49, he gaped at the picture. _It's her!_ _The nurse..._ Underneath the picture was the following:

Name: Sayuri

Age: 18

Home village: Uken **(3.)**

_So she was…_ "It's nice to see you…mother."

* * *

"Hey, oniichan. Just wanted to tell you—Shimada and Katsu-kun finally left. We're planting rice now, can you believe it? They let me help! I'm not that great, but I'll get better quickly. It's just tiring in a whole different way from shooting. It's strange—lately, Kirara-chan's been asking me about you. At least, she hasn't minded when I blabber on and on about you. I think maybe she hates you a little less now. When you come back here—and if you don't I'll hunt you down and smack you—you'd better come see us."

Meanwhile, down in the village, Kirara was reading a book on famous historical samurai when she came across a name that made her drop the text in shock.

"Tachibana…Ukyo?" **(4.)**

_It's not him, of course not! Still, why do I see his face in my mind…?_

* * *

Author's Notes

1. _Yonjukyu_ is how you say 49 in Japanese, and Ukyo was the former Amanushi's 49th clone.

2. Benzaiten, often called Benten, is the Japanese goddess of love, luck, and the arts.

3. Uken is a real village in Japan, and some of the readings for "ken" are "sword", "emperor", and "authority". As an approximation from /anime.manga/dictionary/ , the "u" character used in the town's name means "space", as in outer space, the cosmos, and the "ken" character carries the meaning of "inspection" or "checking".

In kanji, Ukyo's name would be written with the characters for "right" (opposite of left) and "capital". Good name for the emperor's clone, don't you think?

4. Tachibana Ukyo is a character in the Samurai Shodown series of fighting games. He actually looks a bit like Ukyo, with his long blue hair.

As a side note, Akemi's handguns are a matched pair. "Taiyokousen", which means "sunlight", has intricate gold-inlaid engravings; "Tsukikage", or "moonlight", has the same engravings in silver, as well as mother-of-pearl inlay on the grip. Both guns are modified to attach knives to the trigger guard (the metal ring surrounding the trigger, with space for the finger) and spikes to the slide (the top part of the gun). Expect to hear more about them later.

Next Chapter

Ukyo makes up his mind to leave Kougakyo and go to Kanna to make amends—but first he has to travel to the remote mountain village of Yubari to pay his respects at Tessai's family grave. Meanwhile, someone from Akemi's past comes to Kanna bent on revenge.


	2. Travel!

Here's the second chapter of this little fic. For those of who are confused by the passing of time in the first chapter, it's now spring and all the rice has been planted. The samurai have just left Kanna—a week before this chapter opens, as a matter of fact.

* * *

"Well, Ukyo-sama, everything checks out, so I suppose you're free to go," said Dr. Kanzaki as he looked up from his clipboard.

Ukyo breathed a sigh of relief. It had only been six months, but it felt like forever since he'd been placed in the clinic. One of the nurses—Yukiko or Azami, he could never tell the twins apart—spoke up timidly.

"Ukyo-sama, where are you going to go now? I-I mean, you can't go back to your old life, since everyone thinks you're dead."

He smiled at her and watched her turn multiple shades of red. "Not to mention, we've got a new Amanushi, and there's not room for two of us." Ukyo was referring to Kajiwara Mitsuyuki, a distant relative of the former Amanushi, and thus of Ukyo as well. He had ascended to the throne soon after Ukyo's apparent death, and had proved to be a benevolent and capable ruler.

"No," he continued, "I'll go to Kanna-mura."

Kanzaki stared at him. "Kanna? But, Ukyo-sama, they'll kill you on sight!"

"I'll have to risk it. My sister lives there—Akemi. She doesn't know I'm still alive. And…there's also a girl. I was an idiot…she hates me. I have to become worthy of her."

With that, he stood up, bowed deeply, and left the room, taking with him the bag of street clothes that Dr. Kanzaki had given him.

"So, goodbye, and thank you very much for saving me."

* * *

Dressed in the grey and brown clothes that the townspeople favored, Ukyo nervously made his way through the near-empty halls of his former home. After his apparent "death", all the servants had left, and there were only a few guards on duty by the outside gates. This far into the palace, there was nobody around.

_Well, here I am_, he thought, standing in front of his old rooms. _Hope no one's changed the access codes._ He punched in his birthday and smiled to himself when the door slid open. **(1.) **

Once in, he made a beeline for his bedroom. _Let's see how much things have changed._ To his surprise, everything was exactly the way he'd left it—the bed was still made, there were still books on the desk, and a sock still lay on the floor where his throw had missed the laundry hamper. Cautiously, he sat down on the bed. He knew it was irrational, but he half expected security guards to materialize out of the expensive woodwork.

He reached for the jar of makeup on his bedside table. _I can't believe I used to wear this stuff_, he thought, throwing it to the floor. Ukyo's eyes widened as he spotted the old picture behind where the jar had been. It showed Tessai helping a much younger Ukyo aim a rifle at an off-camera target, while an excited Akemi watched._ This was…the first time I ever shot a gun._ He felt tears sting his eyes. _Tessai...he's dead now._ Absently, he picked at the photo between the glass and the frame.

"Huh?" _There's another picture under here!_ Carefully, he pulled it out and examined it. A teenaged Tessai was standing in front of a traditional-style house in winter, with his arms around two women who looked much like him. On the back, someone had written, "Me, Mother, and Naoko, Yubari-mura."

_Yubari?_ He rummaged around in the desk drawer until he came up with a handheld GPS system. According to the computer, Yubari was a small, isolated mountain village located two days' walk from Kougakyo. _It would be out of the way…but I owe it to him to visit his family grave. Better start packing._

* * *

Half an hour later, Ukyo surveyed his room. He was wearing a black shirt which resembled his old one in every way except color, loose black pants, sturdy hiking boots, and his favorite red leather gloves. _I will never complain about my sister's destructive tendencies ever again._ **(2.) **Stuffed into a large canvas shoulder bag were a change of clothes, a raincoat, his GPS, several thousand yen, and boxes of spare ammunition. _Now, let's see…I'm missing something. Oh, yeah…that._ He unlocked his walk-in safe and pulled it open. _Can't go into dangerous territory unarmed, after all._ Taking a sniper rifle by its sling, he surveyed the other guns.

The safe was an army's dream. Machine guns, rifles, shotguns, handguns and revolvers, all neatly arranged with their ammunition boxes color-coded on built-in shelves. And, of course, his pride and joy: Orihime and Hikoboshi, the dual handguns he had won in a tournament two years ago. **(3.)**

_They were named after two lovers…maybe they will give me luck._ He picked them up and put them into the holsters attached to the gun belt slung on his hips. _Speaking of luck…_He slung the rifle Benzaiten over his shoulder.

_Well, this is it. Yubari, here I come!_

* * *

"Dammit! This stupid map must be broken! There's supposed to be a ryokan near here!"

Ukyo was having serious misgivings about his chosen path. It was near sunset, he had been walking for hours along a dusty road, and there was no inn in sight. Dejected, he sank down by the side of the path. His stomach grumbled loudly. _I should have brought food…Is this how I'm going to die? Stranded by a road, miles from anywhere? Forgive me, Kirara-kun…_

"Excuse me, young man. Are you alright?" He cracked open one eye to see an old woman driving a turtle-drawn cart full of melons.

"Wha…Oh, I'm alright. Just lost. Tell me, obaasama, is there an inn nearby?" She chuckled. "No need for such formalities, child. Just call me Granny. It just so happens that the inn you're looking for is a few miles down the road. Now,"—she gestured to the bench she sat on—"why don't you sit up here and tell me your name?"

Gratefully, he climbed up to sit beside her, putting his bag and his gun by his feet. "Thank you. My name's Ukyo." She cracked the reins to start the turtles moving again and glanced at him and the weapons he carried. "Ukyo? Hmmm…Now, what would a nice young man like you be doing with guns like those?"

He shrugged. "I'm going to Yubari-mura. Isn't it dangerous up there?"

"I wouldn't know—I've never been there myself. I know that it's cold and a bit chilly even in summer, though. What business do you have there?"

Ukyo stared off into the setting sun. "The man who raised me…He died six months ago, but I've been unable to visit his grave until now. I want to make up for the way I treated him."

"Oh…your father?"

"No." The old woman looked confused. He elaborated, "I was adopted when I was four. My adopted father only wanted an heir to pass his fortune on to, and my adopted mother died 17 years ago, leaving behind my baby sister. My bodyguard Tessai was the only one who really took care of us."

She sighed heavily. "I know…I know what it's like to lose family. My daughter Sayuri lived in Uken-mura. She was kidnapped to serve as a concubine for the Amanushi. When she returned, she brought a son with her, who she named 'Ukyo'. He was such a good boy, always laughing and smiling…And then, 20 years ago, the first Nobuseri came. Yes, there were Nobuseri before the war. The entire village was destroyed in a single night. Nobody survived. Afterwards, I started to travel, hoping to heal my heart."

He was shocked. _So, this is…my grandmother? I shouldn't say anything. It would only cause her more pain. But still…_"I'm sorry, Granny."

"Don't be. It was a long time ago. Look, we're here!" The cart had stopped at the gates of a large traditional-style inn, situated at a fork in the road. Ukyo nimbly jumped off the cart, grabbing his things.

"I guess this is goodbye, then. I'll be going on to Iwamizawa. When you're ready to go the rest of the way to Yubari, take the left-hand path up the mountains." She started the cart moving again with a heavy heart. _Take care, my grandson._

As his newfound grandmother drove away, Ukyo turned to gaze up at the sign. _'Ichinomiya Family Ryokan.' Now, where have I heard that before…?_ He shook his head and walked in. _It's probably nothing important._

* * *

_Oh, no. Great Benten-sama, what did I do to deserve such a thing?_

Unfortunately, Ukyo had remembered what was so important about this particular inn. It was owned by the family of a former mistress of his, Ichinomiya Akane. She had greeted him at the front gate with a loud shriek of "Ukyo-chan!," shown him to the largest room in the building, and was even now bustling around him, bringing him food and other delicacies, as Ukyo attempted to fill her in on what had happened after she left him. "Y'know, Ukyo-chan, I really thought you were dead! You shouldn't scare me like that! How's your little sis?"

He sweatdropped, having forgotten how energetic Akane could be. "I don't know, Aka-chan. I haven't seen her in six months, remember? There was that little matter of me almost _dying_, you know. The general public still thinks I'm dead, and I would like them to keep thinking that."

She shrugged, red hair bouncing, and plonked herself down next to him—practically in his lap, as a matter of fact. "I'm sorry to hear about Tessai. He was nice to me, even when I annoyed him." He sighed. "It's strange…I keep remembering this one time when I was sick—you weren't there, it was years ago—and Tessai saved me. Once the doctors told him they thought I was going to die, my father stopped caring about me. I remember Akemi was in tears. But Tessai just told the doctors, 'The young master is my responsibility. If he dies, so do you.' And I lived."

He stiffened in surprise as Akane hugged him. "I'm sorry for you! I can't do much, but…you can spend the night for free."

"That's very nice of you, but...um…could you please get off me? You're kind of crushing my ribs _again_."

* * *

The next morning, Ukyo went on his way, loaded down with food for the day's trek up the mountains, Akane's yell of, "Ganbarre, Ukyo-chan!" still ringing in his ears. When she had learned about his beloved Kirara-kun, her only response had been, "If she doesn't love you after this, she's an idiot."_ She's loud, but she's a good person. I hope she finds someone to love someday._

Despite his grandmother's claims that Yubari was a remote village, there was a road in fairly good condition, and he was able to ascend without too much physical exertion. Until he got about halfway up the mountainside, and was met with a huge fallen tree wider than he was tall. He threw his gun and bag over the top and tried to climb over.

"Kyaaah!" Ukyo was spared from a broken neck by his sleeve, which had snagged on a rather large splinter. Shakily, and with much grumbled cursing, he pulled himself up the rest of the way and rested on the trunk to catch his breath. _Damn…_

He looked at the watch attached to his wrist, slid down to the forest floor, and pulled out his GPS. _Better get going. I don't want to be stuck out here at night._

* * *

"Mother, I'm going to otouto-san's grave now."

"Alright, but hurry—it's getting dark."

Naoko Yamanaka left the house, bundled up in several layers of clothes to shield herself from the night's chill. Ever since her younger brother's death, her mother had been increasingly vigilant of her remaining child's safety. _I suppose I can't blame her, but really! I'm nearly forty, and married with children!_

When she reached the cemetery, there was already someone there—a stranger. He was kneeling at her brother's grave, and seemed to be fighting back tears. Naoko was caught between pity and irritation, and settled for polite suspicion.

She knelt at his side. "Hey, are you okay? What are you doing here?" He turned towards her, and she gasped. "You!" _He's a little more scarred and muscular, his hair is shorter, and he stopped doing that ridiculous thing with his eyebrows—but it's definitely him!_

Ukyo blinked, looking as innocent as he knew how. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

She glared at him. "Don't play dumb with me. My name is Naoko, and my younger brother was your bodyguard for seventeen years! He died trying to protect you!"

Now that Ukyo looked at her, he could plainly see the resemblance. While she had fortunately not inherited her brother's buckteeth, her skin, hair, and facial features were nearly identical to Tessai's. _Her manners, on the other hand…_

"Yes, he did. I nearly died that day, too. He basically raised me, you know, and saved my life on several occasions." Respectfully avoiding eye contact, he added, "I'm sorry for your loss, Naoko-sama…but he was important to me as well."

She sighed heavily. "As much as I hate to say this, the last time he visited us, right before his death, otouto-san made my mother and me promise that we would treat you like family if you ever came here. And in our family, we keep our promises. Come with me—I'll get you something to eat, and you can meet my family."

* * *

Naoko, it turned out, still lived in the house depicted in the old photograph, only now she shared it with her mother, her husband, and her five children, ranging in age from 16 to 7. Ukyo had barely put down his bags and removed his muddy boots at the door before being engulfed in a tight hug, courtesy of old Yayoi, Tessai's mother.

"Look at you! You've gotten so big—and you cut your hair! Finally—I told my son the last time he visited: 'Make sure that boy does something with his hair.' What made you decide to cut it? And how's your dear sister?"

Ukyo stared, dumbfounded. Naoko clarified, "Tessai sent pictures of you and your sister back home every time anything interesting—good or bad--happened to either of you. He talked about you two like you were his own children."

"He did?" _And I was such a jerk to him._

Naoko nodded, leading Ukyo into the main room, where all her children and her husband were already seated. "I'm going to make dinner." She turned to her oldest son, Tetsuo. "Be nice to the guy, okay? And keep Teru-chan out of the way while I'm cooking." Seven-year-old Teruko pouted. "But okaasan…I want to help!" 14-year-old Takami shook her head. "When you learn not to drop things, _then_ you can help in the kitchen, little sis." Ukyo, who had seated himself on the floor, looked from one child to the other as though he was watching a tennis match.

"Getting confused, huh?" He jumped as Naoko's husband addressed him. Hideki Yamanaka, a burly ex-samurai with a dusting of gray in his dark purple hair, stood a good six inches above the younger man's head.

"It's alright. Even I get dizzy sometimes, and they're my kids!" He raised his voice. "Kids! Stop bickering and introduce yourselves to our visitor!"

Tetsuo flushed, embarrassed, and bowed to Ukyo. "Sorry, otosan. I'm Tetsuo, the oldest." Takami grinned, introducing herself as the next oldest. Twelve-year-old Tamotsu was next, followed by the incredibly shy Tomiko, nine, and finally little Teruko.

Ukyo bowed back. "I'm Ukyo…just Ukyo. It's very nice to meet all of you!" Yayoi appeared from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready. You'll spend the night here, Ukyo." The tone of her voice left little room for argument. "In the meantime, tell us why you're traveling with those weapons."

* * *

Ukyo sighed heavily. After a huge dinner (and a much-appreciated bath for their visitor), Tessai's family had cleared a space in the boys' room and pulled out a spare futon for their guest, which was where he now was, gazing up at the darkened ceiling and attempting to sleep. Once again he had retold the reason for his journey: to prove to Kirara-kun that he was someone worth loving. _But is it really worth it? I love her, but…she hates me. No, worse—she's indifferent to me. Maybe I should give up and go back to Kougakyo._ And then he remembered seeing her face for the first time and being struck by her beauty; then talking to her and realizing there was a fiery personality under that loveliness.

_No…I can't quit now. Even if she hates me, I'll go see her. If I work hard, maybe she'll return my feelings. If she doesn't…_He thought of his sister, seeing her smiling face and near-total trust in him. _I know that Akemi will wait for me the rest of her life in that place. I can't let her down._

As he felt sleep claim him, his last thought was, _Dear God…please, please let me see Kirara and my sister again._

* * *

The next morning, Ukyo was on his way, having politely declined Yayoi's offer to stay with them longer. However, he did accept leftovers for the road and Naoko's advice: "Take care. There are still Nobuseri in this area." And so he was now leaned against an ancient maple, munching on a steamed dumpling with his bag by his feet and his GPS in one hand. _Hmmm…let's see now. The next town is Kurume, and if I can trust this thing, it's six hours away on foot. From there, it should be easy to get to Kanna._ Finishing his lunch and putting away his GPS, he nearly dropped his lunch in shock as a group of Tobito units flew overhead.

He sucked his breath, feeling Benzaiten's trigger dig into his back as he flattened himself against the tree. Trembling, he reached for his guns. _I guess I'll need them after all. This is bad…I hope they don't notice me._ And of course, just because he'd thought that, one of the Tobito halted, spun around, and fired a rain of bullets down on Ukyo's hiding place. He shrieked in pain and fear as one of them ricocheted off his rifle. Hearing this, they all descended.

One of them spoke, apparently stunned. "A-Amanushi?!" Shock quickly turned to fury. "You! You had my brothers-in-arms killed!" With that, they lunged for him. Ukyo barely had time to pull Orihime and Hikoboshi out of their holsters before he was using them to block a sword swing. Through gritted teeth, he snapped, "I-"

Another Tobito lunged at him. He shot it multiple times before turning to avoid a strike by yet another.

"--am--"

He jumped high, causing a strike to whistle as it sliced the air where his head had just been and decapitate a Tobito who had been about to stab him.

"—not--"

Several well-placed shots put an end to a Tobito who had been using a moss-covered boulder to take potshots at him.

"--the Amanushi--"

He cried out in pain as he failed to dodge a slash that hit his forearm, causing him to drop Hikoboshi. Firing with Orihime in his uninjured hand, he shot his attacker, causing it to explode rather spectacularly.

"—anymore!"

Finally, he stood alone on the road, bleeding, bruised, overheated, and seriously out of breath. _Wonderful. Just…wonderful. Now what am I going to do? My arm hurts…_Loosening his shirt, he shoved his sleeve up and looked at it curiously. Even to his untrained eye, it didn't look that bad. _I'll just bandage it. That should help. Then I can be on my way. _

He unzipped his bag and pulled out the first-aid kit Hideki had pressed on him. As he clumsily wrapped the cut, he realized his hands were shaking inside their gloves. Slowly, he sank to his knees. _I could have died._ And then the truth of his situation finally sank in. _But…it's true what I said to those Nobuseri. I'm not the Amanushi or the magistrate of Kougakyo, and I shouldn't think of myself in that way. I really am just Ukyo now. And…as Ukyo…I will earn Kirara's love._

* * *

A young man walked down the road to Kanna, thinking of revenge. _That damned girl…She took what's mine!_

Daisuke Jigen growled angrily. He had been so close! If his shot had landed a centimeter closer to the ace…_Never mind. Girls shouldn't be allowed to even use guns. A woman should never have been able to defeat me! If she hadn't beaten me at the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, I would have killed her and take the guns off her corpse. Just wait, girl. I will claim Taiyokousen and Tsukikage._

* * *

Author's Notes

1. I made Ukyo a Scorpio (October 23—November 21) based on his personality, which during the series exhibits all the worst parts of that sign. His birthday has already passed—he's 24 years old now.

2. Akemi hates her brother's sense of style, and she and some of his concubines derived great enjoyment from destroying Ukyo's clothes (generally while he bathed) and replacing them with their own choices. By the time of the series, that outfit Ukyo wore all the time was the only thing left in his closet that he picked out himself.

3. The matched handguns Orihime and Hikoboshi are named (and engraved) after a famous legend. Orihime was a princess who wove beautiful clothes for her father, the emperor, and Hikoboshi was a prince who was famous for taking care of a prize herd of cattle. When they fell in love, they neglected their work so terribly that the gods turned them into stars (Orihime became what we call Vega in Lyra, while Hikoboshi was turned into Altair in Aquila) and put them into the sky, separated by the Milky Way. Once a year, on July 7 (the Tanabata festival), the two lovers meet. Legend says they grant wishes for all who ask.

Both guns are engraved with their respective constellations, and have their names and representatives of the characters on the handles. They also have space to attach a knife on the trigger guard.

As a side note, the "Kanritsu Shageki Taikai" where Akemi won her guns means "National Shooting/Marksmanship Tournament". It's the most prestigious gun competition in the country, and was only opened to women about 15 years ago. There are 3 divisions based on age: Children's, from 10-15; Junior's, 16-20, and Standard, 21 and up. Akemi won Taiyokousen and Tsukikage 2 years ago. Jigen, the other finalist, would be competing in his second year of the Standard division this year.

Next Chapter

Ukyo reaches Kurume-mura, and discovers that the town has a rather severe Nobuseri problem. Will he help, or decide that it's none of his business? Things take a turn when he comes face-to-face with the Yakan pilot who dragged him from the ruins of the capital! Meanwhile, Jigen challenges Akemi to a duel, not caring who may get hurt in the process.


	3. Fight!

Well, here's another chapter of this poor fic that nobody reads. If you stumble on this by accident, I wish you'd stay!

Disclaimer: If I owned S7, this would be fact, not fanfic.

* * *

Ukyo stood on a hill overlooking his destination, trying to remember if he'd been there before. _Kurume, Kurume…did I go there on my tour? I don't think so…No, wait. I was supposed to stop by, but the weather was too bad._ He descended to the village, wincing as a step jarred his injured arm. The bandages he had thought he'd wrapped securely turned out to be rather loose, but luckily the Tobito-inflicted wound had stopped bleeding. It still hurt, though.

Upon entering Kurume-mura, the first thing that struck him was that every house seemed to be in various stages of disrepair. _How strange…none of the villages I saw on tour were like this. I wonder what happened._ Someone behind him cleared their throat, and he turned to see a young woman standing there, dressed in a tight knee-length skirt and a wrap top opened to show substantial cleavage. When she spoke, it was barely above a whisper, and he had to step closer to hear her, trying hard to keep his eyes on her face.

"What are you doing here? You know there are Nobuseri about, don't you?" He nodded and indicated his arm. "I know. I killed a bunch of them a few hours out of Yubari-mura, and one of them gave me this."

The young woman smirked. Linking her arm with his uninjured one, she walked him down the street. "Oh, you must be _very_ strong to kill Nobuseri. Are you a merchant?"

"Used to be. Now I'm just a traveler." He couldn't help but notice that she was quite pretty, with dark brown hair, strange, light green eyes, and a figure that--_Stop that_, he ordered his hormones. _Just because you haven't had sex in half a year doesn't mean you should go lusting after anything with breasts and a pulse._ Calmly, the object of his current thoughts continued, "I'm Suzuri, by the way. What's your name?" **(1.)**

Suddenly nervous, he stuttered something to the effect that his name was Ukyo and did they have a place for him to spend the night. Her reply was cut short by a gruff voice from a nearby house snapping, "Suzu! It's your turn to make dinner!" Undaunted, she called back, "Uncle! I found someone who can help us! His name is Ukyo!" Leading Ukyo into the house, she explained, "My uncle is the leader of this village. The Nobuseri have been hanging around here for six months. They've stolen and destroyed most of our crops—the capital won't trade with them."

Somewhat unnerved, Ukyo entered the house to be greeted by around a dozen men, women, and children surrounding an older man lying on a futon. From the door, Ukyo could see the man's leg was clearly broken. He raised his voice to be heard above the villager's chatter. "Everyone, quiet! Suzuri's found a samurai to kill the bandits for us. Please, "—he addressed Ukyo—"sit down. You must be tired from your long trip."

Ukyo did as he was asked, putting his bag and Benzaiten by his side. The old man's eyes widened as he saw the guns. "I'm sorry, but I'm not a samurai—just a man. I would gladly help you in any way I can, though." At this, a wave of murmuring broke out; Ukyo distinctly heard, "We can't afford to be picky", "But I thought we were gonna get samurai, like the ones at Kanna!", and even, "Look at his _hair_. Who has hair like that?" Finally, the village leader spoke up, silencing the crowd.

"Silence. We can't argue. My name is Ishiki. I am the leader of this village—but I assume my niece already told you that. We don't have any money, but we can give you whatever else you need—in exchange for you ridding us of bandits, of course." Ukyo nodded, nervously tucking his hair behind his ears.

"Um, Ishiki-sama, I have to warn you—I've never really fought before, and I don't know anything about the area. But I'll do whatever I can to help out." Ishiki smiled. "Thank you. Later, we will discuss a plan to save our village. But now, let's—" A crash and the sound of gunshots drowned out his words.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Kanna-mura, Akemi and Kirara were discussing a history book of Kirara's that Akemi was reading. Not surprisingly, Akemi was waiting for a chance to somehow work her brother into the conversation.

"You know, Kirara-chan…" Kirara tuned her out. She already knew what her friend was going to say—what Ukyo's opinion was of a certain passage in the book. Oddly enough, it didn't bore her as much as it should have. _That's strange. Normally, I feign interest in whatever comes out of Akemi's mouth—but now I think I'm starting to almost look forward to her talking about Ukyo. To hear her talk, it's as though the sun rose and set on him. _And then a thought occurred to her, one that made her gasp in shock. _Maybe…maybe there is something about him worth admiring._

Akemi smiled, guessing what had just crossed the former water priestess' mind. _Perfect._ Before she could enjoy the fruits of her careful labor, a cry of frustration reached her ears.

"Aaargh! Where are you, you bitch!" The two girls looked at each other. Akemi blanched, recognizing the voice, while Kirara was filled with righteous fury. _Komachi is reading next door! She shouldn't hear such language! _She started out the door to give the unknown speaker a piece of her mind, but Akemi held her back by the sleeve.

"Kirara-chan, don't! I know that man. He's very dangerous. He—" A bullet pierced the wall, causing Akemi to wince at the noise. Komachi peered out from the next room. "Oneesama? What's going on?" Struggling to keep her voice calm, Kirara replied, "Nothing's wrong, Komachi. Bring Akemi-san her gun belts, alright? And stay in there." As Komachi threw Akemi her guns, Kirara glared at her. "Akemi-san, you know this person?"

Nodding, Akemi strapped her guns to her thighs, grateful that she was wearing her old clothing. The tight denim knee-length pants were much easier to fasten holsters to than the loose pants Shino had given her. "Like I said, he's an old enemy of mine, Daisuke Jigen. I beat him to win my guns, and he took it a bit personally. Never thought he'd follow me here, though."

With that, she stepped outside. The two sisters huddled by the window to get a look at the man who had announced his presence in such a rude manner. What they saw was a fairly young man with stringy black hair falling into cruel-looking eyes. He sneered, "Alright, girl. If you give back those guns, I won't harm a hair of your pretty little head. If you don't, I'll have to challenge you to a duel, and you'll certainly die."

Akemi growled, feeling her patience leave her. "'Give back'? How can I give something back to you if it was never _yours_ in the first place? Face it, Jigen-san. The guns went to the better Houshou—me. **(2.)** You're just a bully with a revolver."

He fired.

* * *

"We don't have time for 'later'—the Nobuseri are here now, Ishiki-sama!" One of the village men went to pick up Ishiki, but Ukyo shook his head. "Too risky to move just yet. Everybody, stay calm!" Several of the younger children started to whimper, and were quickly shushed by their relatives. He turned to one of the nearby women. "How many Nobuseri are there?"

"One Raiden, twelve Tobito, and seven Mimizuku units." Ukyo frowned, thinking hard. _I killed five Tobito already—that leaves seven. Mimizuku are going to be tough, since they're so fast, but I think I can take them with Orihime or Hikoboshi. That leaves the Raiden—Benzaiten will take care of that. _"Okay, thank you. Make sure everyone stays here."

Suzuri's eyes shone with a mix of admiration and lust. "What about you, Ukyo-sama?"

He smiled coldly. "I'm going to kill Nobuseri."

* * *

Jigen missed by a mile. To be fair, he probably would have hit her had Akemi not jumped, throwing herself backwards and to the side and landing neatly on her feet before dropping into a crouch behind a wall. _Dammit, I shouldn't have taunted him like that. He didn't get to be a finalist in a national tournament by being a lousy shot. Let's see, that was one…_

He fired again with both revolvers, splintering the crate by her side. Akemi fired back, and he cried out as her shot hit him in the arm. He ran forward, firing as he went; Akemi jumped and spun out of the way, returning fire as his shots struck the walls of houses beyond where she had just stood. Mentally, she counted the bullets. _Ten…eleven…twelve!_

As he stopped to reload, she ran forward and tackled him, sitting on his chest with Tsukikage's bayonet held to his throat. Although her eyes were filled with rage, her voice was calm.

"Look, Jigen-kun. I really don't want to kill you, okay? So why don't you just give up? There are better prizes then these." Jigen's only reply was to punch her: she went flying, crashing to the ground. Inside the house, Kirara and Komachi gasped in horror as her head struck the hard-packed earth, knocking her headband off. _Ouch…_ She looked up into Jigen's eyes, and gasped. They were the eyes of someone devoid of reason.

_Those eyes…the last time I saw such eyes was when oniichan nearly died._

He gazed at her coldly. "See? A mere girl could never defeat me. Now, die." His shot thudded into the ground where her head had just lain, as she jumped out of the way, pushing her hair out of her face. Now thoroughly pissed off, she returned fire. This time, he couldn't dodge, and at such close range, she couldn't miss. He almost looked surprised as her bullet lodged under his chin, killing him instantly.

Shaken, she holstered her guns. While she had killed Nobuseri during the Battle for Kanna, those had been machines, and they had been trying to kill her. Sure, Jigen had tried to kill her as well, but…machines didn't bleed when you shot them. They didn't continue to look up at you with lifeless eyes long after death.

_I…I don't think I can do this again. This…this is horrible._ She dropped to her knees. Motioning to Komachi to stay inside, Kirara ran out to her, wrapping her arms around Akemi's shoulders. The other villagers, realizing that the gunshots had ceased, began to trickle out of their houses.

"Akemi-san…" Akemi shuddered convulsively, before seeming to regain her resolve. _He came here trying to kill me. He could have hurt innocent people. He deserved to die._ "Kirara-chan…let's get this guy buried."

* * *

Running out into the street, Ukyo saw the source of the crash—Mimizuku, surrounded by the remaining Tobito, had attacked what appeared to be the granary. He fired with Hikoboshi, dropping one with a single shot. And then the others attacked him, and he reacted automatically, blocking a Tobito's shot with Orihime. The Mimizuku probably would have killed him—if he'd allowed them to get close. _I never understood samurai. Why use swords when guns are so much safer?_

Despite his defense, however, the last Mimizuku was able to get close, scratching his stomach. He would have been disemboweled had he not jumped back and fired on it until there was silence. _There. All done._ And then a huge shell appeared, followed by the last Nobuseri. _Shit! I forgot about the Raiden!_ Acting quickly, he shot the shell in midair, exploding it before it could hit the houses.

_This is really, really bad._ He had been counting on the Raiden being far away enough for him to use Benzaiten, but now he would have to rely on the handguns. Quickly dodging a sword strike that would have cut him in half, he pulled Hikoboshi's trigger.

Nothing. He had run out of bullets. Running behind an unused building, he checked Orihime and sighed with relief at the discovery that there were three bullets remaining. **(3.)** _I'll have to be careful. Here goes!_ Somewhere in the back of his mind, the voice of reason (i.e., cowardice) reminded him that this was a very bad idea, as he stepped out of shelter and stood before the Raiden. "This is for Uken-mura."

With that, he jumped, avoiding a cannon shell, and running forward until he was practically touching it, pulled the trigger. It ricocheted off the thing's shoulder as it calmly swung its sword down at him. Abruptly, Ukyo realized he couldn't move, frozen by fear. _I'm going to die._ And then, mid-swing, the Raiden froze as shots rang out, piercing its head.

"Run!" Ukyo did as he was told, as the Raiden fell to the ground with a thud that made the buildings shake. He started at his rescuer. _A Yakan?_ The lid opened, and the pilot heaved himself out. He turned out to be a man around thirty, with a pilot's cap, goggles, and a pair of heavy-duty overalls.

"Thank you. You saved my life…" Grinning, the man took his cap off, revealing brown eyes and bushy hair the same color as Ukyo's own. "It was nothing, Amanushi-sama—but I suppose you're not the Amanushi anymore, are you?"

Ukyo stared blankly. "What are you talking about? How did you know that?"

"Oh, of course you wouldn't remember—I'm Kyoichi! I was the one who hauled you away from the capital and saved your life." He nodded smugly. "Yep, that was me, Sanada Kyoichi!" **(4.)** Ukyo bowed deeply, filled with gratitude beyond words.

Seeing that it was safe, Suzuri left the house and went to stand by Ukyo. Placing a hand on his chest, she gushed, "Oh, you saved us! Thank you so much! Please, eat dinner with us." Ukyo nodded. At this point, he was so tired he was willing to do just about anything if it meant he would get to sit down.

* * *

_Well, this is…different._ _It's good, though._ Ukyo had never tasted true peasant cooking before. Now that he had, he knew why Kirara hadn't minded eating basically the same thing day after day. Taking another sip of tea, he glanced across the table at Kyoichi, who was regaling several villagers with tales of his travels. "Well, I was born in the capital—this was way before the war—and my parents died when I was in my teens. I just bought a Yakan unit, signed up for the war, and afterwards started to travel. And that's how I met Ukyo, wounded near to death in a field." Ishiki asked him, "Are you going to stay here, Sanada-dono?"

Kyoichi shook his head. "Nah, I'm going to keep traveling. Who knows, maybe I'll find someone to settle down with and start a family." From the way he was trading glances with a woman sitting a few seats away from Ukyo, it seemed extremely likely he wouldn't have to travel far.

Ukyo had already retold his story for what seemed like the thousandth time—minus the slightly important fact about him being Amanushi. The women had all sighed at his declaration of love for Kirara-kun, while the men rolled their eyes.

Suzuri, who had nearly glued herself to his side, simpered, "Oh, Ukyo-sama, you can spend the night at my place...before you leave for Kanna-mura, that is." Ukyo paused. _Well, I do need a place to sleep…but why do I have such a bad feeling about this?_ "I would be delighted; thank you very much, Suzuri-san."

* * *

Ukyo sighed, pulling off his shirt and socks, and laid his gun belt by the side of his futon. _What a long day…I've never had to do so much in my life. Just in the space of a few hours, I fought Nobuseri, met the man who saved my life, saved an entire village, and got one step closer to seeing Kirara-kun again. Just a few days away…_His eyes slid shut.

And then, what seemed like several hours later, the sound of his bedroom door opening snapped him back to awareness. Sitting bolt upright, he lit his bedside candle to see Suzuri standing by his side wearing a yukata. A very thin yukata. He swallowed hard, mouth going dry. "Suzuri-san?"

As she sank down, embracing him and running her hands over his chest, he tried to pull away—her hands were _cold. Wait_, his hormones complained, _what are you doing? She's offering herself to you on a silver platter! _

"Ah, Amanushi-sama…"

_What the hell?_ He grabbed her shoulders, holding her at arms' length. "How did you know that?" She smirked, twisting free of his hands, and Ukyo winced; there was no compassion or kindness in that face. "I knew as soon as I saw you. I'm not stupid, you know, and I know your reputation." She kissed him slowly, but he did not respond. "Well? I was under the impression that you weren't especially picky."

_What's the matter with you? She's trying to seduce you—let her!_

_I can't. Kirara-kun…_

_Who cares? You haven't gotten laid in half a year; take what you can get!_

_No._ Ukyo glared at her. "You can't seduce me. Because, you see…I love Kirara-kun. I'm sorry, but you just can't compare. Now, I suggest you leave. I'll be on my way to Kanna in the morning." She recoiled as though she'd been slapped. _How dare this man reject me?_ Giving him a look of pure, icy hatred, she got to her feet and slowly walked out of the room. "Good night, Ukyo-sama."

Now alone once more, Ukyo collapsed back on his futon and rolled over onto his side. _Well, I suppose that proved it. I truly do love Kirara-kun. There is nothing I won't do for her._

_Like turn down free sex?_ a snide voice in the back of his mind piped up.

_Oh, shut up. Kirara-kun's hands…_He thought back to when he had picked her up after Tessai had knocked her out—something he had _not_ told him to do. _She was so warm…I can't wait to see her and hold her in my arms again. If she lets me._

* * *

Having buried Jigen with Rikichi's and Kirara's help, Akemi knelt by the new-made grave. _I'm not sorry. I know I should be, but I just…don't…care. Not at all. He was a heartless, cruel, bigoted misogynist._ She remembered the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai two years ago, how Jigen had been so sure a teenager could never beat him, and how he had insulted her. _I was pissed, sure, but oniichan was about ready to kill him…I've never seen him so mad. Tessai had to hold us back_. She sighed. _He's dead now…I wish I could have said goodbye to him, but at least we sent his body home._

Rikichi's wife, Sanae, knelt by Akemi's side. "Akemi-chan, I do wish you'd let me help." The younger woman shook her head. "You're pregnant, Sanae-san. You shouldn't be doing heavy work!" Sanae replied, "You forget, I'm a farmer. We're used to hard labor." Akemi shook her head in frustration before gazing up at the woman she had come to care for like an older sister.

"Sanae-san…do you think my brother might ever come back? It's been so long…When Jigen attacked me, I thought I was going to die, and all I could think was how Ukyo always promised to save me."

Sanae smiled. "I'm sure he will, Akemi-chan. Just keep believing in him." _Poor girl…she's the only one who thinks her brother is still alive. If he never comes back…_She thought about her grief at learning that her unborn child and the Amanushi were dead. _I pray that this strong girl never experiences that pain._

* * *

Author's Notes

1. "Suzuri" means "inkstone" (a stone used in calligraphy to mix ink with water), and her uncle's name, Ishiki, means "stone tree." Suzuri's name is based off my search to find stone-related girl's names to contrast with "Kirara" which means "mica" (a type of stone).

2. "Houshou" or 'Houte" both mean "gunner", as in Houtedo, the way of the gunner (used in this fic to describe many gun-related techniques, among them shooting two guns at once and blocking bullets with any type of gun).

3. Bullet conservation is not Ukyo's strong suite. Both Orihime and Hikoboshi hold clips of 20 bullets each. Benzaiten (which he rarely gets a chance to use) is an autoloader rifle that holds 10 bullets.

4. Unbeknownst to everyone, Kyoichi is actually the first clone of the Amanushi, making him Ukyo's "brother". His "parents" were actually a foster family, and he was believed by the capital to have perished with them. By the way, his eyes are actually reddish-purple like Ukyo's; it's the light that makes them look brown.

Just a little side note this time—when Akemi's red silk headband is knocked off in battle, she becomes infuriated and capable of destroying hordes of enemy Nobuseri, no matter how scared she might normally be. Afterwards, she'll calmly walk back to her headband, put it back on, and act like nothing happened.

Next Chapter

Ukyo enters Kanna-mura, and Kirara is most definitely not happy to see him! Much groveling ensues on Ukyo's part as he tries to gain Kirara's favor. And where is he going to sleep, anyway? Later, the mikumari-in-training falls ill, and Ukyo undertakes a journey to save her.


	4. Trust!

Wearily, Ukyo smiled. He had traveled for days from Kurume to Kanna, and now it was finally within sight. He was footsore, hungry (the rations given to him by the grateful people of Kurume had ran out the day before), tired, overheated, and in pain from various scrapes and cuts incurred mainly by his own clumsiness. None of it mattered now. _Kirara-kun…Akemi-chan…soon, I'll be able to see you again._

* * *

Once again, the mikumari of Kanna was praying to find water under the earth. Only this time, it was Komachi who held the water crystal, while Kirara placed the charms in her sister's trembling hand and their grandmother watched with pride. Finally, Komachi squeaked, "Two. Dig two wells, where the crystal shows." With that, she plopped herself on the ground, visibly spent. Kirara hugged her. "Excellent, Komachi; you did very well." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Akemi stiffen.

"Akemi-san, what's the matter?" The other girl shrugged. "I don't know. Just got a strange feeling—like something important's going to happen, something I've been waiting for." Suddenly, she grabbed Kirara's wrist and ran, kicking up dust in her wake. Komachi sprang up and followed, crystal glowing brightly.

"Akemi-san!" Without breaking her stride, she shot back, "Hang on! I need to get to the bridge! Follow me!" Kirara sighed, but let herself be dragged; she had learned that when Akemi got an idea in her head, the best course of action was often to go along with it.

Rikichi sighed, "Elder Gisaku, should we follow them?" The elder shook his head. "Just let them run. If such a one as Akemi is running like that, it's something important. Now, I suggest that we all go back to our homes."

* * *

Ukyo sighed, standing at Kanna-mura's side of the bridge. _You know_, a tiny part of his brain reminded him, _it's not too late to go back to Kougakyo…You could see Father on the way back. _And then he saw Akemi dragging Kirara by the sleeve, with Komachi on their heels (she was, incidentally, being trailed by a number of confused villagers), and promptly forgot any thoughts of going back to the city.

"Oniichan!" Letting go of Kirara, Akemi ran to her brother, embracing him tightly. With tears in her eyes, she clung to him, whispering "Everyone said you were dead, but I knew you'd come back to me." Ukyo returned the hug just as fiercely, until Akemi released him, looking annoyed.

"What the hell took you so long? Do you have any idea how worried I was? While you were gone, Daisuke Jigen came around. He was trying to kill me, and he almost did it!" Furiously, she grabbed his hair and yanked it; he yelped as she continued, "I coulda died because you weren't here! Kirara-chan coulda married someone else for all you knew."

He blanched. "Did she?" Her fury spent, Akemi smirked and gestured behind her. "You can go ask her if you want—she's right here."

For what seemed like ages, all Ukyo could do was stare. _Kirara-kun…_She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She had gotten taller, and was now Akemi's height, having gained a few much-needed pounds. Her outfit was some ornate white-and-red version of the clothes she had worn when he had first seen her. And then she spoke, and his vision of loveliness was rudely dispersed.

"You? What are you doing here?" Ukyo winced. _Oh, that's right…she hates me._ Putting on a false smile, he replied, "Why, I came all this way to apologize, and this is the thanks I get?" Akemi glared at him. "Oniichan, stop lying. It's obvious you came here to see her. Now, why don't we go inside?" Before she could move, however, Gisaku spoke up from behind her. "Akemi-sama, take him to my house; I wish to speak with him."

* * *

Having once again retold his story, Ukyo prostrated himself before the elder and the people of Kanna, who watched him with suspicion. Gazing at the floor, he added, "So, you've heard my story. You know that I have nowhere else to go; no life to return to. All I ask is to remain here."

Gisaku frowned, considering the man before him. It was hard to believe that this slender young man dressed in black, with fairly recent scars tracing his right cheekbone, had single-handedly killed the previous Amanushi, tried to destroy his village, and nearly died in the process, only to survive and, apparently, reform, even saving the village of Kurume-mura from some Nobuseri. He turned to Kirara.

"Mikumari-sama, is this true?" While Ukyo spoke, Kirara had been watching her crystal intently, noting with an odd feeling midway between disappointment and joy as it reacted. **(1.) **Now she nodded.

Gisaku spoke. "Well…I suppose that if he speaks truth, he may remain here." Ukyo and Akemi's faces lit up, and Kirara found herself blushing as Ukyo threw a triumphant smile in her direction. The villagers grumbled, but Gisaku added, "And if he doesn't behave himself…Akemi-sama will take care of him," noting the mutinous look on the gunslinger's face as he had been about to threaten her brother.

Ukyo blinked as a thought occurred to him. "Gisaku-dono…um…where will I stay?" The elder glanced around the room, thinking furiously. _Hmmm…can't stay with Manzo, for obvious reasons; that also rules out Akio, Ryuji, Kazuki, Satoru, Takumi, and Yohei. _**(2.)** _Sanae's pregnant, so I doubt he'll want to stay with them…I suppose there's no other choice, though I know Mikumari-sama won't like it._

"You can stay with Akemi." Akemi smirked; Kirara groaned. Ukyo looked confused. "What? Mei-chan, what's with that evil look?" **(3.)** With a look of unholy joy that caused Kirara to sink to her knees and bury her face in her hands, Akemi clarified, "I've been staying with Kirara-chan and her family."

Ukyo grinned. _Now, that's what I call luck._

* * *

As Ukyo removed his shoes at the door, Kirara tried very hard to ignore him. However, it was difficult when her brain insisted on repeating _Ukyo is here. The man who tried to kidnap me and take over the world is in my living room, chatting with my grandmother. _For the elderly woman had gone over to Ukyo and introduced herself, "Hello, young man. My name is Kaede; I'm Kirara's grandmother." He smiled, "I'm Ukyo. I knew Kanna-mura was beautiful the moment I met you and your family, for where do such lovely women come from if not from a lovely village?"

Kaede tittered like a young girl. "My, such wonderful manners! Now, you just stay right there, and I'll go take out a futon for you, and heat up a nice bath, too." Ukyo sighed with relief at the prospect of finally getting a bath and the chance to sleep in a real bed. Akemi smacked him in the back of the head. "Don't get any ideas, oniichan; you'll be rooming with me in the spare room."

"Ow! What ideas? That was the furthest thing from my mind!"

Akemi met this defense with a snort of derision. "Ha! I know you, oniichan—better go tell obaasan to make that bath _cold_. Speaking of baths, please tell me you brought a change of clothes." He lifted his bag. "Right in here; why? Don't tell me you're actually offering to do my laundry."

She shrugged. "Trust me, those things need washing; you've been wearing them for days. Komachi, you'll help me, right?" The mikumari-in-training nodded rapidly, eager to do something useful.

* * *

Ukyo sighed as he toweled his hair off. Now that he now longer had to deal with waist-length hair, baths were a good deal faster. He grinned, remembering how mad Akemi used to get when he used up all the hot water. Humming a little tune, he pulled his pants on and reached for his shirt. **(4.)**

A knock sounded, followed by Kirara's voice. "Akemi-san told me to tell you your other clothes are dry, and we need help with dinner. Can you bring in some wood for the fire?" Ukyo opened the door, buttoning his shirt as he did so.

Kirara, who had been standing directly in front of the door, took several large, rapid steps backward to give him room. Truth be told, she was a little afraid of Ukyo, even though she knew she didn't really have a good reason to be. But…if she had to admit it, he was good-looking. Rather handsome, in fact, now that he'd grown his eyebrows out. His natural skin tone wasn't all that much darker than the makeup he had once worn. She blushed furiously at a sudden thought. _I wonder if he smells of battle now…_

Ukyo smiled nervously. "Well…um…I've never done it before, but I think I could manage. Thank you, Kirara-kun. Woodpile's in the back, right?" At her nod, he turned and left. Kirara sank down against the wall. _What's the matter with me? He's…Ukyo. Sure, he says he's changed, and my crystal shows he's not lying. But he tried to kidnap me! He's selfish, and, and cowardly, and a jerk._

_And yet…I suppose he's not all bad. After all, Akemi thinks the world of him. Maybe him living here won't be so horrible._ The question of Ukyo's relative attractiveness shoved firmly in the back of her mind, Kirara went to prepare dinner.

* * *

She was slicing chicken at the kitchen counter when the knife slipped, cutting her hand deeply. Ukyo had been sitting on the front step, listening to Akemi tell him all that had happened since she'd left him. When he heard Kirara's cry, he left his seat and ran towards the sound. Now sitting by herself, Akemi snickered joyfully and snuck after him.

"Kirara-kun!" She barely had time to register his presence before Ukyo embraced her with one arm, holding her injured hand in his other one. He winced; the cut was deep and bloody. "My darling Kirara-kun, you really should be more careful!"

As he reached past her to turn on the faucet, she protested, "What are you doing? I'm fine…" He sighed and held the cut under the hot water to clean it. "You are not fine. You hurt yourself, scream in pain, and say that it's not a big deal because you don't want other people to worry." Calmly, he bandaged the wound. "But we do worry. _I_ worry."

She blushed and tried to snatch her hand away, but he held her wrist tighter. With no other way to move, she turned and looked him in the face, realizing, as she did this, that he was very, very close, and watching her with a strange look in his eyes. _In fact, it almost looks like that time Katsushiro-sama…_Nervously, she stammered, W-why do you worry about me? You have no reason to." _It couldn't be true what Akemi says; that he loves me. Could it? _He leaned closer…

And jumped back as a yelp sounded outside the kitchen, and Akemi and Komachi fell into the room. The older girl disentangled herself and scolded Komachi, "I told you to be careful! Now you wrecked it."

Komachi glared at her. "I don't care what you say about your brother—he's just a big jerk! I don't want him near my big sister!"

Akemi mock-pouted. "Not even if it means getting me for a sister-in-law?" Komachi didn't even answer, choosing instead to go over to the kitchen counter and finish cutting up chicken.

* * *

Ukyo lay in the darkened room, listening to his sister snore on the futon next to his. Dinner, although delicious, had been…strained. Akemi had been too afraid of risking her brother's anger to talk much, Komachi gave him dirty looks all throughout the meal—_Probably still mad at me for killing that damned mecha-samurai_, he realized--and his dear Kirara had been simply too embarrassed. _That was my fault. I shouldn't have tried to kiss her. Just wait, Kirara-kun…I will become worthy of you._

* * *

Several weeks later, with no work to do, the young girls sharing Kirara's house went to seek out their friends—or, in Kirara's case, time alone with her thoughts. She went to the forest pool and sat with her back against a tree, gazing up at the light filtering through the leaves. _Aaahh…peace. It's so nice to have some time to myself._

And then the sound of youthful female laughter reached her ears, and she groaned aloud, just stopping herself from using several of the choice words she had learned from Akemi in situations like this.

* * *

Meanwhile, Akemi was sitting with Shino on the latter's front porch, discussing their day. Shino asked her, "So, what's it like having your brother around?"

The other girl grinned. "Awesome—well, okay, it's kinda weird sometimes. But it's fun watching him with Kirara-chan." At her questioning glance, Akemi elaborated, "He's in love with her. Kirara-chan knows this, 'cause I've told her, but it's like she's refused to believe it. It's funny—he's so polite and considerate, but he never misses a chance to subtly hit on her. And of course he's got obaasan wrapped around his little finger."

"And Komachi?"

Akemi smiled sadly. "Well…you know, ever since Kikuchiyo-san died she's pretty much hated my brother. I think she's starting to warm up to him, though—he's been helping her with her handwriting. So, Shino-chan…?"

Shino looked flustered. "What? What is it?" Akemi poked her in the ribs. "That boy, Yoshikazu-kun…I think he likes you!" She spluttered. "What? Me?"

"Yeah, you—he's always looking at you when he thinks you're not looking, and he lights up like a bonfire whenever you walk into the room. And…well, isn't he cute?"

Blushing, Shino gazed steadily at her feet before bursting out with, "Well, I guess…but he's such a wimp! When I get married, I want him to be someone…someone strong."

"Ah, I see…someone like a samurai, huh?" **(5.)**

Shino choked.

* * *

Kirara was being tortured. Oh, sure, it wasn't physical torture, but it was agony all the same. She was surrounded by the other young women and girls of Kanna-mura, all of whom were intent on finding out everything they could about her new houseguest. Kirara's eyes flamed as one of them asked her, "So, what's it like living with Ukyo-san?"

"Why would you want to know? He tried to destroy our village! He should be your enemy, and yet here you all are, asking about him!" A girl spoke up, stifling giggles. "Well…He's really cool! And he saved Kurume-mura, so he can't be all bad. So what _is_ it like living with him?" Another girl sighed dreamily at the prospect, and several smirked knowingly. Kirara sighed. "It's not like _that_. He's just staying in my house—there's nothing going on between us."

At this, the girls erupted in mass giggles. Amid the laughter, Kirara caught several remarks, among them: "Well, I bet he wishes there wasn't anything between them!" and "If she doesn't want him, I'll take him!" Finally, one of the girls—Kirara thought her name was Kayo, Kazuki's sister—asked the water priestess, "But, seriously, be honest and tell us what you think about him."

Kirara stared into the water, blushing brightly. _My honest…feelings?_ "Well," she finally said out loud, "He isn't as bad as you'd think. He's polite…and I suppose you might call him a gentleman. And he's strong; it's nice to have someone willing and able to cart wood for the fire all the time. There. That's my feelings about him." As the other girls dispersed, probably disappointed that she hadn't done anything gossip-worthy, Kirara admitted, _And…if I must be honest…he's quite handsome, as well._

The crystal on her wrist glowed with approval.

* * *

Komachi and Okara were sitting out by Wing Rock, discussing Ukyo. Komachi was just beginning to launch into a long rant of Ukyo's many flaws when Okara interrupted.

"Koma-chan, why do you hate Ukyo so much? He hasn't done anything to you, has he?" Komachi fumed, "No, but…he killed Kiku!"

"He didn't kill Kikunoji. Kiku sacrificed himself to stop the capital. And besides, you've used the water crystal, haven't you? You know Ukyo's changed. And Akemi-neesan likes him."

Komachi snorted. "He's her brother; she doesn't have a choice. Besides, he tried to kidnap oneesama once, remember? What makes you think he won't do something bad to her as soon as he gets the chance?"

"Because he's _had_ chances to do something to her, and he hasn't. All he's been trying to do is get on everyone's good side."

"Hmmph." Komachi sprang up from her seat and left, grumbling under her breath something about traitorous best friends and stupid perverted ex-Emperors.

* * *

The next day, Komachi fell ill. While Kirara attempted to heal her sister with the water crystal, Akemi paced the hall, and Kaede cried softly in a chair. Ukyo lounged on the floor next to the elderly woman, watching the closed door with an odd sense of detachment. Logically, he knew he should feel bad that Komachi was sick, or at least sympathetic. Instead, he found he didn't really care. _What's the matter with me? I thought I changed from what I was before…but I guess I can't grow a sense of empathy overnight._

Finally, Kirara left the room, shaking her head. "I…" She choked back a sob. "The water crystal can heal injuries and most sicknesses, but not this. She's got a high fever that won't go down. If we don't get some medicine…" Breaking down, she started to cry, joined by her grandmother. Akemi plopped down on the floor next to them, in shock. Ukyo looked from one to the other before speaking.

"The Shikimoribito might have medicine. I'll go there and bring some back." Kirara lifted her head from her grandmother's shoulder and stared at him, tears coursing down her face. "But…you don't know the way. You'll get lost. They could _kill_ you." He smirked slightly. "And here I was, thinking you didn't care. I'll bring my guns; it'll be alright. Besides, I hear my father works for them now. He'll vouch for me."

Giving Kaede one last hug, Akemi stood up. "I'll go with you. I've been there before; they like me, you know? And quite frankly, you need a guide—your sense of direction sucks."

"Excuse me? I found my way here all right, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you had _landmarks_. And a _road_. Between here and the Shikimoribito there's nothing but desert. You could get lost out there for days. I'm coming with you and that's that."

* * *

The siblings left some hours later. Akemi was wearing her old clothes, and her bright red kimono-style top stood out like a sore thumb against the spring greenery. Ukyo was humming a marching tune as he walked. Kirara watched them go with an odd ache in her chest. _Why do I feel this way? I know they'll come back safely…but I still don't want him—no, them—to leave._ Shaking her head, she went back inside to check on Komachi.

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Since Komachi's new at being a Mikumari, she doesn't know how to use the water crystal to its full potential yet. Therefore, as of now she only uses it for finding water, while Kirara is capable of using it to tell if someone's lying or not. Kirara also hangs onto the crystal when Komachi's not actually using it—wouldn't want it to get broken or lost or something.

2. All the men Gisaku mentions are fathers or brothers of teenage girls. Naturally, he suspects Ukyo of possibly seducing them. If you've seen the other girls in the village (besides Shino and Kirara), you know that Ukyo would never be THAT desperate. Or bored. Besides, he's got Kirara.

3. Akemi's name, in kanji, is written with the characters for "bright" and "beauty". The first character can also be read "Mei", hence her nickname.

4. For those of you care, although I can't imagine why, Ukyo's spare outfit is a gray collared shirt and black pants. He looks very, very good in it.

5. Akemi's comment is a reference both to a scene in the anime where Shino says she'll marry a samurai if no farmer will want her (in response to her home being destroyed), and also to the original Seven Samurai movie. In the original, Kirara didn't exist, and Shino had a fling with Katsushiro, only to dump him after the village was safe.

Next Chapter

Akemi and Ukyo reach the Shikimoribito village, where they meet some old friends and, in Ukyo's case, confront past deeds he really wanted to forget. Once they come back, Ukyo's relationship with Kirara takes a turn for the better, until Katsushiro returns, bringing tidings of the other samurai. And what's this? He still likes Kirara? Oh, dear, this could get messy.


	5. Jealousy!

Akemi sighed, dumping her now-empty bag of provisions in front of the cave. "Well, this is it. Doesn't look like there's anyone on guard, though." Glad to have a reason to stop walking, Ukyo set his bag down by his feet and asked his sister, "So, now what do we do?"

She replied, "Now? Now, dear oniichan, we wait. The Shikimoribito should be here soon." As if on cue, several of them dropped from the mountain above their heads—upside down, at first, which made Ukyo yelp in shock.

"What do you want?" The lead Shikimoribito spoke up. Although he was wearing the mask all of his companions wore, there was something familiar about the voice. It almost sounded like…

Akemi's eyes lit up. "Father!" Her hunch was correct, as the Shikimoribito pulled off his mask to reveal Ayamaro's face. "You'll let us in, right? Please?" Ukyo groaned. _Damn…this isn't a good thing._ Ayamaro looked from his daughter to his adopted son and frowned in thought. _Earlier, I wouldn't have let them in here. But I suppose if Akemi's with him…He won't be able to do any damage. _"Well…I suppose so. What did you come here for?" As he led them into the cave, Akemi explained, "It's a friend of ours in Kanna-mura. She's really sick, and we need medicine."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Once inside the Shikimoribito's village, Ukyo looked around in curiosity at the surrounding buildings and people. _Wow…I've never been here before. It's nice. _Spotting the strange trees, he pointed them out to his sister. "What trees are those?" She shrugged. "I dunno. Weird, aren't they?" Then her eyes widened as she actually looked at the grove. "Honoka-san! Mizuki-chan!"

At the sound of their names, two girls turned from their work and ran up to Akemi. "Akemi-san!" She grinned and turned to her brother. "Ukyo, this is Honoka and Mizuki. They're sisters who came here after their village was destroyed by Nobuseri. Honoka-san, Mizuki-chan, this is my brother—"

Mizuki interrupted her, staring at Ukyo in shock. "Ukyo-sama? But, you were killed!" He blinked. "Ah…have we met before, miss?" She glared at him so fiercely that he took a step back. "I was one of Sanae-sama's servants. When you killed the Amanushi, she was so depressed…and now you think you can just waltz in here and we'll all forget what you used to be like? Just because you've got a few new scars, don't think we don't know who you are and what you did!" With that, she stomped back to her work.

Honoka bowed. "I'm sorry about that, Akemi-san. I really need to get back to my work…" She followed her sister. Watching her retreating back, Akemi sighed. "Geez, oniichan, you musta been a real bastard. Mizuki's not usually like this."

"…Let's go find that apothecary Father told us about."

"Hmmph. Okay. But first I want to stop and see if anyone's selling ammunition—I think I'm running low."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Thankfully, the apothecary was easy to find and he had the remedy they needed. What neither of them had counted on, however, was that he was very, very greedy. He smirked at them over the lenses of his glasses. "Well? If that's all you have…"

Akemi growled. They had been attempting to bargain with this arrogant pig for nearly fifteen minutes, and he showed no signs of lowering his prices. _Bit hard to get somebody to lower his price to "free", though_, she thought sourly. Next to her, Ukyo was beginning to look desperate and more than a little homicidal. She tried again, attempting to look as pathetic as possible.

"Please, sir! It's for our little sister! She's really sick; she'll die without the medicine. If you had a sister, would you let her die?" He thought out loud, "No…but then again, I don't have a sister." He smirked evilly. "So I suppose you're out of luck." Ukyo reached for his newly reloaded Orihime, but Akemi shook her head. Mentally, she cringed. _I don't want to do this…but I don't think I have a choice._

Tugging her top so it exposed more of her chest, she leaned forward, giving the apothecary a good look at her cleavage. "Sir…are you sure you won't hand over the medicine?" she asked, in tones dripping with innuendo. Ukyo looked shocked. _Where the hell did she learn how to…_He remembered his concubine Ayame. **(1.)** _Oh…right._

The apothecary's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he rolled the bottle of precious liquid between his fingers. "Well…I suppose something could be arranged." Giggling, Akemi snatched the medicine out of his hand. "Excellent! It was a pleasure doing business with you, sir." As the apothecary began yelling dire threats, she turned to her brother, only to discover that he had started running as soon as he realized what she was up to, and was now halfway back to the cave entrance. Wasting no time, she followed him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

They were almost out before a Shikimoribito landed in front of them, blocking their way. Akemi spoke up, voice quavering. "Excuse me…We need to get through here." It looked past her at Ukyo, who was trembling.

"Amanushi-sama, for your crimes, we should kill you. However…because your sister and father have proven so helpful to us…we will allow you to live. Now, I suggest you leave, before we change our minds."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Once again, they were back at Kanna. Komachi's condition had worsened, and she was delirious with fever. Kirara looked at Akemi with tears of gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you." Akemi grinned carelessly. "Aw, don't thank me—it was my brother who really did all the work." Kirara met Ukyo's eyes and blushed. Quickly, she turned the conversation to safer topics. "How am I supposed to give her the medicine?" Akemi motioned to the bottle. "It's all on there. Now, go."

Several hours later, Komachi's fever broke, and Kirara came out of the room, wiping her forehead with a damp cloth. Ukyo spoke up, the first to break the silence that had hung over the house since he and his sister had returned with the medicine. "Well?"

Kirara smiled wearily. "She'll be just fine when she wakes up." Kaede's face lit up, and Ukyo looked smug. "I knew she'd be fine. She's got you taking care of her, hasn't she?"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning, Ukyo was woken up by someone poking his shoulder. Without opening his eyes, he grumbled, "Go _away_, Akemi, it can't be time for breakfast yet." A different voice answered him. "Umm…Ukyo-sama?" Sitting up, he saw Komachi standing there, looking nervous.

She stammered, "Ah…oneesama said you brought medicine for me. And, and I just wanted to thank you." She bowed so deeply he was surprised she didn't fall over, and ran shakily out of the room. He grinned. _Well, that's taken care of._ Reaching for his shirt, he went to join the rest of the house for breakfast.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Kirara sat by the window, taking advantage of the mid-morning light to read a book. Standing next to her, Ukyo took a look at the title. "Oooh, History of the Ancients. Haven't read that one yet." She jumped in shock. "Ah, Ukyo-san! You startled me…I didn't know you were here." He grinned. "Where else would I be, but with you?" He indicated the book she held. "Did you finish it yet?"

She shook her head. "I just got it last week. I've been too busy to read past the first six chapters. I really like it so far; I didn't think it would be so interesting."

He leaned against the wall, watching her. "Yeah, history usually isn't. I think when I was growing up, Father must have told my tutors to select the most boring books they could find. I used to fall asleep over my homework and wake up with ink all over my face." She giggled at the thought.

"No, it wasn't funny! They would yell at me, and then I would get scared." He smiled, remembering. "Tessai would threaten them with horrible deaths, and they would stop. You know, my father didn't want to teach Akemi anything at first." She blinked. The thought was inconceivable that anybody would not want others to have knowledge. He nodded sagely.

"He thought that girls were only good for marriage, and so they didn't need to learn anything. But Tessai persuaded him that no rich merchant wanted a stupid wife, and so she was taught all the same subjects I was—history, philosophy, calligraphy, science, math. She's terrible at math—the worst there is." Kirara shook her head. "She can't possibly be worse than me. Without an abacus, I'm useless."

Ukyo reached out and took her hand, making her blush. _Katsushiro-sama's hand…was never this warm._ "I'm sure you'd be wonderful at anything." She avoided his eyes, staring at the floor. "…Thank you."

His hand tightened around hers. "Kirara-kun…what do you think of me? Do you hate me?" She didn't think before replying, "No. I don't hate you..." She shook her head, hair flying. "I don't know! I'm not sure what I feel…" Ukyo smiled when she lifted her eyes to meet his.

"You don't hate me. That's a good start. Until you figure out what you really feel about me, I'll stay right here and wait for you. Because…you know I love you, right?"

Pulling her hand free of his, she stood up hurriedly. "I-I'm sorry. There's something I have to do…Thank you, Ukyo-san."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Shaken, Kirara fairly ran down to the forest pool, throwing herself down on the soft grass. _I don't know what to do. Akemi…she was right. I should have listened to her, but I didn't think someone like Ukyo was capable of love. He said it so casually…as though it was obvious. And…to him…it was._

She looked up at the sky through the leaves. _But what about me? What do I feel? I know he's kind, and he seems to be a good person now…and I like him. But love? I don't know…_

A great cry sounded from the direction of the village gate. Springing from her seat, she listened hard. They seemed to be saying…"Katsushiro-sama! He's returned!" She ran for the gate.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Okamoto Katsushiro had traveled for weeks on the back of a delivery turtle. He was tired, hungry, and bruised. Sliding off his mount, he bowed to the villagers who had come to greet him. "It's very nice to see you all again. Is Kirara-dono here?"

As if on cue, Kirara ran up to him, followed by Akemi. The former water priestess bowed. "How nice to see you again, Katsushiro-sama." Akemi was far less reserved, going up to him and shaking his hand. "Hey, Katsu-kun! How've you been? Damn, you look like hell. Where were you?" He sighed. "I've been traveling for a long time. I wanted to pay my respects to your grandmother and Komachi."

Akemi blanched. _Oh, crap._ "Um…right, then. I'll just go tell them you've arrived." With that, she ran down the street until she came to their house, where Ukyo was sitting out on the porch, cleaning his guns. **(2.)** Alarmed, he looked up as his sister approached.

Out of breath, she gasped, "Oniichan, you gotta do something! Katsushiro's back…He'll kill you!" He wasn't looking at her, though; he was gazing down the street, where Katsushiro had stopped dead, staring at his old enemy in shock. "You!" Katsushiro drew his sword and lunged for Ukyo, who barely had enough time to raise Benzaiten to block the attack.

Further violence was thankfully negated by Akemi, who drew Taiyokousen and fired a shot into the air. "Katsushiro-kun, stop that! He's okay." Sheathing his sword reluctantly, Katsushiro stared at his former comrade.** (3.)** "Akemi-dono, what are you talking about? I know he's your brother, but don't you remember what he did? And if that's not enough, he has the nerve to come here?"

She sighed, taking the young samurai's arm. "Katsu-kun, why don't we go visit Rikichi? After you've rested up there, we can explain things to you. Now, you see, after the capital fell…" She led him away, speaking in a low voice so that he had to lean close to hear. Watching them together, Kirara raised an eyebrow at Ukyo, who rolled his eyes before continuing his inspection of his rifle for any damage.

As she sat down next to him on the porch, he asked her, "So, Kirara-kun, how long is the brat staying here?" She glared at him. "Katsushiro-sama is _not_ a brat." He shrugged carelessly. "He's younger than me, probably younger than you as well, and he's annoying. Also, he seems to think he can kill me."

Kirara sighed, laying a hand on Ukyo's arm. "Don't provoke him. I know he's young, but he's gotten to be a skilled samurai, and in the six months since…you almost died…he's trained nonstop. Promise me you won't goad him into a fight."

He sighed dramatically, but consented at the look in her eyes. "I swear I won't provoke him…but if he attacks me, don't think I won't defend myself."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Later that night, after he had eaten the dinner Sanae made for him and her husband, Katsushiro slipped out of their house. Moving as silently as a ghost, he made his way to the house of the Mikumari_. I need to find out…I need to know what happened, that Kirara-dono would allow him into her home._

He stopped outside their window, looking down at the sleeping forms of Kaede and her grandchildren. _Kirara-dono…she's so beautiful when she sleeps._ Circling halfway around the house, he saw Akemi sprawled across her futon, but the one on the other side of the room was empty.

"Did you come to kill me?" With a cry of shock, he turned to see Ukyo leaning against the wall, dressed in black and plainly unarmed. Seething with rage, Katsushiro demanded, "Why are you here? You should be dead! After all you did, I'm surprised no one here has tried to kill you yet."

Seeing that the young samurai wasn't carrying his sword, Ukyo smirked cockily. "Akemi vouched for me. With her as my loyal bodyguard, nobody in the village will dare touch me." Katsushiro growled, wishing with all his heart that he had his sword with him.

"What's the matter, great samurai? Afraid I might steal Kirara-kun's heart away from you? Oh, wait—you never had it, did you?" _That's it_, Katsushiro thought. _I don't care if I don't have a sword; I'm killing him with my bare hands! _As he prepared to do just that, however, a snort from inside drew the young man's attention. Akemi was waking up.

Not wanting to risk discovery, Katsushiro turned to go. "Don't think this is over, you bastard."

Once Katsushiro left, Ukyo slumped against the wall, heart beating rapidly. He had put on a bold front, but in truth he was terrified. Even though Ukyo was a good five inches taller and probably about ten pounds heavier than the young samurai, he had never been formally trained in unarmed combat. _If we had fought…he could actually have killed me. I saw it in his eyes. He really wanted me dead._

As he slinked back inside to his room, he glanced across the hall to where Kirara and her family slept. _Kirara-kun, please be careful._

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The next morning, Katsushiro visited Kirara again.

Komachi met him at the door, smiling nervously. "Katsunoji…good morning. Did you sleep well?"

The others, including Ukyo, were gathered around a low table, finishing their breakfast. Akemi was passing on tidings of Shichiroji, who had finally married Yukino. **(4.)** She completely ignored their visitor. Kirara looked up when she realized the young samurai had walked into the room. She did not look especially happy. Ukyo made a choking noise when he noticed Katsushiro.

By a monumental effort of will, Katsushiro managed to ignore Ukyo's presence. Instead, he turned to Kirara. "Kirara-dono, may I speak with you privately? In the kitchen, I mean."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Kirara-dono, why did you allow _him_ to stay in your house? He's…_Ukyo_."

"I didn't have a choice! Gisaku-dono told him to stay with his sister. I don't see what the problem is, Katsushiro-sama. He hasn't hurt me, and he's been a real help around the house."

He snarled, pacing back and forth as he spoke. "He's a murderer! Kirara-dono, he tried to destroy your village. He even tried to kidnap you! How can you know that and still let him stay?"

Kirara laid a hand on his arm. "Katsushiro-sama…he doesn't have anywhere else to go. As he's told us, most people think he's dead. This is it, for him." Enraged, he shook her off. "He must be lying! Just wait; one of these days he'll show his true colors." He stormed out of the house, fuming.

Ukyo looked from Katsushiro's retreating back to Kirara's shaken expression, and felt a surge of anger. _What did that brat say to her?_ He stood, bowing to Kaede. "Excuse me, obaasama."

He caught up to the young samurai just inside the bamboo forest. Katsushiro whirled around, a look of pure rage on his face. "Go away." Ukyo grabbed his arm. "Not until you tell me what you said to Kirara-kun to affect her like that."

The younger man slapped him across the face, snapping his head back. "Don't you dare talk about Kirara-dono as though you're her equal."

Rubbing the mark on his face, Ukyo stepped back, smirking. "Why not? Unlike you, I don't see the need for mindless formality. Kirara-kun and I _are_ equal now. And that's the reason she'll fall for me. Now…are you going to tell me what you said to upset Kirara-kun, or am I going to have to hurt you?"

Katsushiro glared. "I told her the truth. One of these days, you'll slip up and show your true colors, and when you do…Kirara-dono will surely reject you."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Author's Notes

1. Ayame was one of Ukyo's concubines, who left him before he met Kirara. She was very sarcastic and bold—rather like Akemi, in fact, which is why Ukyo couldn't bring himself to sleep with her. She is now married and expecting her first child.

2. Gun solvents (cleaning fluids) need to be used outside or in a well-ventilated area, or the fumes can cause serious damage to your lungs. Not to mention that the smell alone could ruin your appetite for weeks.

3. During the series, Akemi fought alongside the samurai. She was not very well-liked, due to her sarcasm, disdain for swords, and refusal to follow Kambei's orders. As she is fond of saying, "If I wanted to be ordered around by a guy like him, I would go to the rifle range and ask the range master to teach me the basics."

A range master (or range mistress) is the person in charge of a shooting range. They are usually short-tempered and authoritarian, and they can afford to be—they hold pretty much absolute power over the range and everyone in it.

4. Yep, Roji and Yukino finally got married. In case you're wondering about Kambei, he met someone too—a beautiful female samurai with white hair. I believe her name was Masami or something…

Next Chapter

Well, we've got Ukyo and Katsushiro in the same village, and they're both competing for the same woman. This can't be good. Matters come to a head next time, as Katsu challenges Ukyo for Kirara's heart! Will our former emperor survive? Or will the samurai finish the job his mentor started?


	6. Love!

Ukyo sighed, leaning on the porch railing. _That boy…he's really determined to hurt me. I wonder why he thinks Kirara-kun would choose him. From what Mei-chan told me, he's pretty much useless. Even though he is a skilled samurai, that doesn't mean anything when dealing with Kirara-kun's feelings…does it?_ He remembered what Akemi had told him about Kirara's past admiration of Kambei.

_Maybe…maybe she might choose the brat, because he's samurai. But still…I'm skilled, too. I should stand a chance._ He was abruptly snapped out of his thoughts by the arrival of a worried Shino.

"Ah…Ukyo-sama?" He blinked; trying to remember what he might have done that would lead his sister's friend to actively seek him out. His thoughts must have shown on his face, for she hastened to explain, "I heard from Akemi-chan about Katsushiro-sama's actions toward you this morning. Please…tell me you won't provoke him."

He groaned, clapping a hand to his forehead. "_Why_ does everyone always tell me that? 'Don't provoke him; he could kill you." What about him? Why doesn't anyone ever tell the boy, 'Leave him alone'?" She shrugged. "As you just said, Ukyo-sama: Katsushiro-sama is young. He won't listen to reason in times like this. And he's samurai—it's not for us peasants to tell him what to do."

Ukyo shook his head. "Shino-san, listen to me. Samurai, peasant, merchant, nobility—we're really all the same. There's no reason why you can't tell him off if you want to. What can he do to you? Nothing, that's what. And if you need moral support, I'll go with you."

"Thank you, Ukyo-sama, but you don't have to go with me. I think I'll do alright." As she turned to go, he asked, so low she wasn't sure if she heard him, "Why do you care, anyway? I tried to destroy your village. You have no reason to warn me away from Katsu-kun."

She turned back to him, smiling. "Your sister's my best friend. I wouldn't want to see her cry because Katsushiro-sama killed you. And…also, you're not a bad person. It would be a shame if you died."

Akemi walked out to stand beside her brother, calling out to Shino, "Hey, aren't you going to tell him about our plan?"

Shino blushed. "Um…well…I didn't think…" Ukyo grinned. "A plan? Tell me more." Akemi explained, "Shino-chan and I came up with it. You might not like it, but if it works, you'll get Katsu-kun off your back, and Kirara-chan will like you."

"I'm listening…"

"Start courting Shino-chan."

Ukyo looked from his smirking sister to a blushing Shino and asked, "And…how exactly is this going to get Kirara-kun to like me?"

"It's simple! See, Katsu-kun sees you as competition for Kirara-chan, so he won't bother you if he thinks you're with Shino-chan. Plus, if Kirara-chan feels anything for you, and I think she does, it will make her jealous. Eventually—once someone defuses Katsu-kun—we reveal the ruse. Well? What do you think?"

He shrugged. "I'll do it."

* * *

The next day dawned bright and sunny, perfect weather for taking a walk through the forest or watching clouds roll by. In fact, that was what Komachi had every intention of doing, but first she looked out the window--and gasped in shock. "Oneesama, look! Shino-san…and Ukyo-sama?"

Kirara felt an odd twinge watching Ukyo with Shino. He had his arm around her waist, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. _It shouldn't make a difference to me. I don't feel anything for him. He can do whatever he wants…so why do I feel like this?_ As Ukyo turned to whisper something in Shino's ear, she turned away. _It doesn't matter to me._

* * *

"Well? Does she look jealous? I can't see from here."

A quiet giggle. "Yes! She's practically green with envy…oh, she just turned back inside. She looks upset."

Ukyo sighed, murmuring, "Great, now I feel bad. Should I go in after her?"

"Are you nuts? The entire point of this is to make her jealous. Do you want to screw this up? And if you do, Katsushiro-sama…He might…"

He pulled back, looking at her. "Shino-chan, do you like that boy?" She blushed, stammering, "Well, I…yes. He's gracious and kind and sweet…Oh, he's a wonderful person!" Nobly refraining from making a gagging noise, Ukyo replied, "Well, maybe this will make him jealous, too."

"Do you really think so?"

"Why not?" _I hope that this works…Great Benzaiten, please hear my prayer. Please let Kirara-kun feel something for me. And…let Shino-san be happy, too._

* * *

Kirara fumed, watching Shino and Ukyo sitting together. Their "relationship" had taken off some weeks ago, and they showed every sign of being truly interested in each other. _This is so infuriating. Look at them! She's laughing and giggling…he can't be that funny, can he? And Ukyo-san—is he actually flirting with her? Great Inari-sama, he is!_ **(1.)**

"What's the matter, Kirara-chan? I thought you didn't like my oniichan?" She groaned as Akemi sauntered into the room, looking like she'd just won a war single-handedly.

"Akemi-chan, it's not that. It's just that…well, look at them. They don't look well together." She gestured out the window angrily. Akemi nodded sagely. "Yeah, I see what you mean. You wish that was you next to Ukyo, don't you?"

Kirara choked in shock. "N-no! I just…"

"Mmm-hmm. I'm going to go practice. See ya." Humming a love song under her breath, she left the room, leaving Kirara alone. The former water priestess sighed heavily. _Oh, damn it to hell._ There was no denying it—she was jealous, even though she had no reason to be. Briefly, she wondered if Katsushiro would stop threatening Ukyo if he heard of the latter's relationship with Shino.

* * *

The very next day, she got her answer.

Sword on his waist, Katsushiro charged down the street, grumbling curses under his breath, until he reached Kirara's house. When Akemi opened the door, he struggled to present a calm front as he asked her, "Akemi-dono, do you know where your brother is?"

She flinched back, seeing the sword and the look of rage in his eyes. As she replied, she motioned for Kirara and Komachi to stay inside. "Um…nope, don't know, sorry. You might try looking out by the waterfall…"

Of course, Ukyo chose this exact moment to come walking up the street, whistling and carrying his guns, which he had just taken back from the blacksmith for some needed repairs. Seeing him out of the corner of his eye, the samurai spun around, drawing his sword.

"You!" As Katsushiro lunged, Ukyo dropped his rifle and barely had time to parry the attack with Hikoboshi. Shaken, he asked, "Why are you doing this? What did I do to you?"

The samurai snarled. "First, you have the nerve to think Kirara-dono will choose _you_ over _me_, and then you chase after Shino-dono! You're nothing but a worthless pig." He struck again, but Ukyo scrambled backwards out of the way.

"Dammit, brat, have you lost your mind? I—" He blocked a potentially lethal overhead swing with Orihime, frantically sidestepping another attack. Katsushiro was almost beyond reason now, as he struck again and again. Although Ukyo was able to block or dodge most of the blows, some of them got through, and he soon bled from various cuts.

Finally gaining distance as Katsushiro paused for breath, Ukyo sighed, pushing his hair off his face. "Look, Katsu-kun, about that thing with me and Shino? It's not what you think." He never got a chance to explain fully, however, as the young samurai got his breath back and charged at him with an impressive, if somewhat high-pitched, battle cry.

Before Ukyo could react, the samurai's sword had sliced deeply into his abdomen, reopening the old scar. His stomach on fire with pain, the gunslinger collapsed to his knees, unable to move.

Through a red haze of agony, Ukyo saw Katsushiro walk towards him, raising his sword for the killing blow. He felt his guns slip from fingers suddenly gone weak. _This…is it. I'm really going to die now._ And then, before the young samurai could finish the job, there was a gunshot, and Kirara screamed.

He saw Katsushiro's legs buckle, and heard him gasp in pain—Akemi had shot him in the arm. Dimly, Ukyo realized that Kirara had run to his side, and was helping Akemi carry him into the house. She was crying and, in some small, selfish part of his brain, he registered that as a good thing.

* * *

Shino, meanwhile, had run to the scene as soon as she heard the gunshot, and was now tending to an injured Katsushiro. While his wound throbbed, it was not very serious, and the samurai was still fully conscious. She wrapped her arms around him, supporting his head in her lap.

Weakly, he asked her, "Shino-dono…why? What do you see in that man?" She smiled sadly. _I suppose it's time to come clean._ Accordingly, she bent down and pressed her lips to his.

"Nothing. My feelings…were always only for you, Katsushiro-sama."

* * *

Working together, the two girls just barely managed to carry Ukyo into his room and drop him on his futon. Akemi collapsed by his side, spent and worried. "Kirara-chan…he's losing a lot of blood."

Kirara gnawed her bottom lip in frustration, wiping her face. "I know that! I can heal him, but I need water—go get some from the sink." Before Akemi could leave, Komachi appeared in the doorway, lugging a large pail of tap water. Setting it down, she ran to her sister's side.

"Oneesama…let me heal him!" She looked at her younger sister warily. "Komachi, you've never healed injuries like this before. Don't you think you should leave this to someone more experienced?"

Komachi shook her head furiously, beginning to cry. "He—he saved my life! I want to help him…"

Kirara sighed. "Alright. But I'm going to guide you through it, understand? Akemi-san, we'll need your help."

Following Kirara's directions, Akemi carefully unbuttoned her brother's shirt. The water priestess felt heat suffuse her face at the sight—Ukyo, though slender and as pale as marble, was strongly muscled. Seeing this, Akemi grinned--_Doesn't feel anything for my brother, my foot_—before refocusing her attention on his injuries.

He had multiple minor lacerations on his upper arms and forearms, a deep cut on his left shoulder, and his right shoulder was bruised. **(2.)** The worst injury was the abdominal one—a deep cut reaching from just under the left side of his ribcage almost all the way to the opposite hip.

Working quickly, Kirara motioned to her sister to pour water on the wounds. Then, trembling, Komachi pressed the crystal to the worst one, head bowed. Akemi watched in shock as the wound glowed a bright blue. As the glow faded, she saw that there was still quite a lot of blood, and she gasped.

"It didn't work?" Kirara sponged the blood off, and she realized it was healed, leaving only a thin red scratch on top of the existing scar.

"Oh, that's _so_ cool. Are you sure you can't teach me how to do that?" Kirara nodded, watching her sister's progress and shivering slightly. Truth be told, she was much more worried about Ukyo than she was about her sister getting something wrong.

* * *

Much later, Kirara sat by Ukyo's bed, praying. As usual, her grandmother had cooked a large dinner, but she had been too worried to eat most of it. A fatigued Komachi had staggered off to bed as soon as the meal was over. Akemi had told her about her and Shino's plan to make Kirara jealous, and had been promptly ignored for the rest of the night. _She's probably hovering around the house, afraid to come near me. Am I really that scary when I'm upset?_

She watched the young man as he slept. Ukyo looked so peaceful, but she knew he was capable of inflicting serious damage. She blushed, remembering his words when he had told her he loved her. _I should have believed him. I really do like him, but…_His deception sprang to mind. _When he wakes up, he's going to get a piece of my mind._

Ukyo stirred slightly, mumbling something. She gasped, senses on high alert, but it was a false alarm—he was still asleep. Curious as to what, exactly, he was saying, she leaned closer.

"Kirara…love you…"

_I like him a lot…but do I love him? If this is what he wants, I suppose…I can act on impulse for once. I will tell him my feelings._ She fought back an urge to yawn, and realized she was exhausted. _In the morning. I'll tell him how I feel…in the morning._

* * *

Ukyo woke up slowly, yawning and stretching. And then he remembered the events of the previous day. With a yelp, he looked at his stomach. There was nothing—just the same old scar. _Did…Kirara-kun heal me? _

He reached over and poked Akemi on the shoulder. "Hey, Akemi, wake _up_, you lazy bum!" Annoyed, she sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Naaaah, oniichan, whassamatta?"

He demanded, "Who healed me? Kirara-kun? What happened after I blacked out?" She blinked, shaking off sleep. "Komachi-chan did it. She wanted to repay you for getting her medicine. Kirara-chan helped. When I saw Katsu-kun was really gonna kill you, I shot him in the arm. Unfortunately, he's okay now. Shino-chan's taking care of him at her house."

Ukyo grinned. "Good for her. Did you know she has a crush on him?" Akemi had started to get dressed; her voice was muffled by her shirt as she responded, "No, she never told me that! Hey, wonder what Manzo-san thinks of it? Bet he'd be happy to have a samurai for a son-in-law, huh?" He winced, strapping his watch on. "Okay, really bad mental image there."

"Sorry, oniichan." His stomach rumbled loudly, and she giggled. "Hungry, huh? C'mon, let's go eat."

* * *

Later that day, Ukyo sat by the window, cleaning his guns and wincing at the discovery of each new scratch inflicted by Katsushiro's blade. Kirara approached him nervously, feeling her resolve beginning to weaken. _I know I told myself I would confess my feelings, but…I don't think I can do it._

Ukyo looked up when she got closer, putting the guns by his side. "Kirara-kun…I wanted to talk to you." She sat next to him, and he continued. However, his conversation was on the topic she had least expected from him.

"About Katsushiro-kun—doesn't he face some sort of punishment for his actions?" She must have looked shocked, for he explained, "I mean, he seriously tried to kill me! Isn't there something the village elder should do?" She shook her head. "He's samurai…We can't do anything."

He growled. "That's not right. He should be punished for what he did, the little bastard…" Then he realized who he was talking to, and rapidly backpedaled. "I'm sorry, Kirara-kun. I know you like him."

She turned red, staring at the floor. _It's now or never._ Her voice shook as she replied, "Ukyo-san…that's not true. There is…someone else I like." She was acutely aware of his arm, which had wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. His hair tickled her face.

"Kirara-kun…if I tell you I love you again, you're not going to run away this time, are you?" She looked up at him, shyly. "No…I'll stay right here." _Please…this is the only way I can confess my feelings toward you. Please understand…!_

"Good," he said, and kissed her.

The world did not end. The sky did not come crashing down around their ears. The gods did not come from Heaven to strike them down.

Instead, Ukyo's arms tightened around Kirara's waist, while she wrapped hers around his shoulders, tangling her fingers in his hair as she kissed him back. Slowly, after what seemed an eternity, they pulled apart. He noticed with a grin that she was still blushing.

"Ukyo-san…" Quickly, he moved to kiss her again. This time, however, a bright flash distracted them, and Kirara yelped, turning to see a grinning Akemi lounging against the door frame holding a camera. **(3.)**

"I knew it! I knew you liked him, Kirara-chan! Good for you! Oniichan—if you hurt her in any way…"

He interrupted her smoothly, "You'll castrate me with a rusty butter knife, and then tie me to a tree and use me for target practice with sharp, pointy objects. Akemi, you've been threatening me like that for years. I think by now I get the idea."

She shrugged. "Well, good! Now you know what'll happen to you if you make Kirara-chan cry. Oh, by the way—I fixed your shirt. Good thing obaasan knows how to sew buttons." She handed him his gray shirt, freshly washed and sewn back together.

Ukyo smiled, turning to Kirara. "Do you want to go break the news? They'll find out eventually, once my demented sister gets those pictures developed."

"Hey! I'm saner than _you_, 'I-want-to-rule-the-world'-san!"

"How many times do I have to tell you—I'm not like that anymore!"

"Yeah, sure you're not. And I'm Tatsuko Amami-sensei." **(4.) **Annoyed, Akemi flounced out of the room, grumbling something about how on earth she was going to get film developed in the middle of nowhere.

Kirara looked from Ukyo to Akemi's retreating back and sighed. _They always bicker…but I can see how close they are. And now…now that I have these feelings for Ukyo-san…Akemi-san is like my family as well. No matter how embarrassing she can be._

Ukyo laid a hand on her arm. "Kirara-kun…I'm sorry about my sister."

"Don't worry about it. But…I think we should wait to tell the village."

He smiled at her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Katsushiro lay on a spare futon in Shino's house, arm heavily bandaged. He stared up at the darkened ceiling, feeling a surge of anger bubbling under his skin. _Ukyo…he took Kirara-dono from me._ He remembered the distraught look on the beautiful Mikumari's face as his opponent fell._ I was so close…If Akemi hadn't shot me, that bastard would be dead by now! I swear…when I recover, I swear I'll finish the job!_

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Inari is the god of rice and the harvest, so it makes sense that Kirara would call on him.

2. This wasn't a recent injury. See, the recoil from firing certain rifles is very strong. Normally, shooters wear a special shirt with a big pad on the shoulder to lessen the impact, but Ukyo doesn't have a shirt like that. So, over years of using rifles, his shoulder has become permanently bruised.

3. If they can invent giant airships and computers, they _must_ have cameras. They probably shoot only black-and-white film.

4. Amami Tatsuko is Akemi's teacher in Houtedo. She was once from a samurai family, but her husband and family were killed in a war (not the Great War—this was an earlier war), leaving her with three young children, a broken katana, and no money. Since samurai had killed her family, she gave up the sword and turned to guns, becoming the first woman to win the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai. Ukyo and Akemi met her at a tournament when they were young, and, impressed by their potential, she offered to teach them her signature technique—dual handguns--for free.

On a side note, I really, really hate writing romance scenes. I just don't think I can do them justice—and when I've got a pairing like this, that's really a bad thing.

Next Chapter

Ukyo and Kirara are together, and all is happy and wonderful…until Katsushiro starts recovering, and threatens Ukyo's life again. Will this boy ever learn? Meanwhile, the news of the Nobuseri's defeat at Kurume two months ago has reached their (human) leader, who is not pleased to learn that one man somehow killed 20 of his troops. He mobilizes his army to destroy Kanna-mura. Ukyo's and Katsu's fight is put on the back burner, as they face a second Battle for Kanna!


	7. Invade!

Shigeo Hirosegawa strolled through his fortress, glad to be home after a business trip lasting four months. He sighed, settling himself in his throne-like chair. Who would have thought being a human commander of a Nobuseri horde was so much work?

A servant approached him, bearing a tray of food. "My lord…your evening meal." He took the tray without even a glance at the bearer, taking a bite of rice. He frowned at the taste. Seeing this, the servant scuttled backward out of the way.

"This rice…it doesn't taste like Kurume-mura rice. Why?" The hapless servant bowed so low, his head nearly touched the floor. "My lord, our force in Kurume-mura has been destroyed."

Shigeo choked on his food. "What? When? That can't be possible! Where would those peasants have gotten the nerve to attack us? Show me the video feed immediately!" Nodding, the servant rushed to hook up the camera that had once been a Raiden's eye. Together, they watched as Mimizuku and Tobito attacked a granary, and were slaughtered by a man with a gun. And then the Raiden faced the perpetrator, and Shigeo flung out an arm. "Stop the video."

The feed stopped, and he squinted at the man's face on screen. "Hmmm…zoom in, please." As the servant did his bidding, he gasped. _It can't be! That face…It's been twenty years, but it is still unmistakably the face of that child from the village I had destroyed._ His suspicions were confirmed when the man spoke. "This is for Uken-mura."

He settled back in his chair, dismissing the servant with a wave of his hand. Out loud, he mused, "Well, well, well…it seems that someone from Uken-mura survived. And he has declared war on me." He picked up the phone by his chair. "Toshiki, I want you to find out everything you can about the man who destroyed my troops at Kurume-mura. And then…I want you to find him and kill him."

* * *

Many miles away, in Kanna, Kirara entered Shino's house and knelt by Katsushiro's side. He rubbed his aching arm pointedly. She flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you last night, Katsushiro-sama…but you _did_ almost kill Ukyo-san, and so we needed to tend to him first."

The young samurai glared at her. "Why? Why did you help him? You know who he is." She said nothing; instead, she unwrapped the bandages and lifted his left arm to get a better view of the wound. Thankfully, the bullet had not pierced his arm, or even hit the bone. Kirara poured water on it and pressed the water crystal to the site, head bowed. It glowed brightly before healing, pushing the bullet out. Katsushiro flexed his hand slowly, wincing.

"Thank you, Kirara-dono. But…I have to know. What do you see in him?" She stared out the window, thinking about how Ukyo loved to read, often finishing a new book before her; his tendency to stumble into walls on his way to breakfast; his eternal politeness, even when Komachi was rude to him; his compliments at just the right time; and the way it was so easy to talk to him about almost anything.

Finally, she replied, "He's a good person now, Katsushiro-sama." Shakily, she rose and left, adding, "Please don't fight him anymore."

He sighed and collapsed back on his futon. _There's nothing I can do. If Kirara-dono chose him, then I…the only thing I can do is accept it. If I tried to fight him again, Kirara-dono would surely hate me—and Akemi-dono might actually kill me._

* * *

Meanwhile, Ukyo was on guard duty. He had taken the post after he made the mistake of complaining, within his newfound friend and fellow guard Satoru's hearing, that there was, quote, "nothing to do around here but read, tote firewood, and talk to Kirara-kun." **(1.)** So now, here he was, sitting up a tree in a large platform, alternating between reading and scanning the horizon with his rifle scope.

_Why did I ever agree to do this? This is so boring. I could be with my darling Kirara right now…_He smirked, thinking back to that moment earlier in the day. _She likes me! She really does care about me...And I'm stuck up here while she heals that little brat who calls himself samurai. _Ukyo sighed, paging through the old book of geography he had taken at random from the shelf in Akemi's room.

Opening to a random page, he casually glanced at the first paragraph and did a double take. _"…the village of Uken, in the Aichi province. Because of the forest of pine trees that surrounded it, it was known as Matsugakure—the Village Hidden in the Pines. Recently, it was razed to the ground by a band of Nobuseri led by Shigeo Hirosegawa. As of this writing, he has not been found." _

He closed the book, hands shaking. _This man…he was the one who destroyed my village and killed my mother. And yet…If that hadn't happened, I never would have met Kirara-kun or Akemi. I wonder what happened to him—hope he's dead. _With a shrug, he raised his head and looked out over the village, taking in the forest, the cliffs, and the distant mountains, their tops wreathed in clouds. _This place…it's so beautiful. And I was ready to destroy it to consolidate my power…What was I thinking?_

A voice from below caught his attention. "Hey, Ukyo-san!" He leaned over the edge of the platform, peering through the leaves to see Satoru standing under the tree, waving a bag. "I brought lunch! Send the ladder down." Ukyo grabbed a rope ladder and pushed it over the edge; the younger man clambered up awkwardly, holding the bag handles in his teeth.

Seating himself next to Ukyo with an exaggerated sigh, Satoru opened the bag and pulled out a rice ball, tossing it to his friend with the comment, "I heard about you and Kirara-sama."

"So?" Ukyo replied through a mouthful of rice and salted plum. Satoru glared at him. "So? Ukyo-san, she is the most important person in this village besides the elder. If you act inappropriately towards her, I'll…" Then his demeanor changed, and he finished, "be very proud of you and look the other way."

Ukyo laughed. He hadn't known how similar Satoru was to himself. "So I take it you approve, then—and that you won't try to take her from me."

"Are you kidding? Even if I was interested in her, she doesn't know I exist. Not to mention you and your sister might kill me. Besides, I only have eyes for Fujiko-chan," Satoru replied, referring to his fiancée. Ukyo sighed, picking up Benzaiten's rifle scope and scanning the area.

_Wait a minute…_There appeared to be a dark smudge on the horizon. He increased the magnification. Satoru leaned past his shoulder, shoving his bushy brown hair out of his eyes. "Ukyo-san, what is it?"

He shrugged, turning away. "Incoming storm—ow…" He rubbed his left arm, wincing. The other peasant glanced at him curiously, and he explained, "Old injury from…before. Still hurts when it rains. We'd best get inside—I don't think that storm is going to wait."

* * *

Kirara sat on the covered porch, listening to the rain fall on the roof and turn the street to thick mud. Next to her, Komachi grumbled under her breath, annoyed that she couldn't play with Okara until the rain stopped. Struck by a sudden idea, she turned to her older sister, pulling on her sleeve to get her attention. "Yes, what is it, Komachi?"

"Oneesama…do you really like Ukyo-sama?" She sighed. _I'm starting to get sick of people asking me that._ "Yes, Komachi, I like him very much." Her sister's next question caught her completely off guard.

"Then, then can I call him Oniichan, like Akemi-neesan does? 'Cause she always says you two are gonna get married someday, and so it's okay for me to call him that."

Kirara blushed. "Komachi! You would have to ask him if it's alright, first." Ukyo's voice came from inside, where he was drying his hair after running home in the rain. "Is what alright?" Curious, he stuck his head out the window. The older girl blushed as she realized he was shirtless. Heedless of either this or her sister's reaction, Komachi chirped, "Can I call you 'niisan? Akemi-neesan says it's okay…" Kirara groaned, burying her head in her hands.

Ukyo sighed, looking at the little girl—not so little anymore, he realized; she was almost twelve. He remembered Akemi at that age. She had been a perpetual bundle of energy, always bouncing around from one spot to the next, and usually dragging him with her. Komachi was the same way. "Sure. I don't mind." While he spoke to Komachi, it was Kirara that he looked at, and she felt her face heating up as he smiled.

"Kirara-kun, you should come inside. You'll get sick if you stay out in this weather. Besides, Akemi's been complaining—something about how it's your turn to make dinner."

* * *

Shigeo stared at the information his lieutenant had printed out for him. _So…it seems that my new adversary is the former Amanushi himself, who somehow survived the battle for Kanna. How interesting._ He glanced at the map one last time before picking up his phone again. "Shinji…please go to Kanna-mura."

The Nobuseri on the other end replied, "What do you want me to do there, aniki?"

Voice filled with scorn for his slow-witted brother, Shigeo snarled, "Destroy it! Leave no one alive…except one. A man with blue hair and two scars on his face…bring him to me." He replaced the phone, smiling. _This should be very interesting…very interesting indeed._

* * *

The next day, after the rain stopped, Ukyo was once again going to the guard platform. This time, he was not alone—he was joined by Kirara, who had never been there before.

Nervously, she explained, "I can climb up easily, but, well…it's a bit hard climbing up a ladder in a skirt…" He smirked, gallantly offering, "I'll go up first. That way, I can help you up." With a sigh, she ascended; as promised, Ukyo held out a hand to pull her to her feet.

Kirara adjusted her sleeves, gazing around curiously. "It's so beautiful up here…" Gazing only at her, he replied, "Yeah…it is. Makes a nice change from being harassed by those girls you call friends, doesn't it?" She rolled her eyes, a habit she had picked up from him. "They're just curious about you, and I think they're jealous of me. I know I shouldn't get mad at them, but sometimes they're so infuriating!"

"Why do you let them bother you? You have nothing to worry about." He pulled her into his arms, kissing her. She blushed, pulling away shyly. "Ah, Ukyo-san…I don't think…"

"What's the matter? Nobody will see us here." He kissed her again, and she nearly melted into his embrace, feeling his warm hands run up and down her back. With a shiver running down her spine, she pressed closer. Ukyo practically purred as she deepened the kiss, running her hands through his hair.

A gunshot sounded close by, causing her to jump back in fear. "What was that?" Grumbling curses under his breath, Ukyo leaned over the platform's edge to see Akemi standing there, glaring. She yelled up to him, "You! Down here now, I need to talk to you." Sighing, he did as she asked, first turning to Kirara. "Kirara-kun, do me a favor. See that rifle scope? Keep looking through it. Yell if you see anything out of the ordinary."

Once on the ground, Akemi led him away from the guard platform before turning on him, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "What were you thinking, you moron?"

Taken aback, he yelped, "What? What'd I do?" She released him, pacing back and forth angrily. Snarling in frustration, she replied, "Look. Oniichan. I may have been willing to do anything to get Kirara-chan to fall for you, and I'm happy that she returns your feelings, but I will _not_ let you deprive this village of its senior Mikumari." At his blank expression, she clapped a hand to her forehead in disgust. "She's the water _maiden_ priestess, you moron. Continued virginity is a qualification! If you screw Kirara before Komachi learns how to use the water crystal, this village won't have a Mikumari until she does learn—and that could take years."

Ukyo blinked. "Oh…crap." Akemi nodded, smirking. "So try to keep your hands to yourself, okay?" Dejected, he slunk back to the guard tower, to find a puzzled Kirara squinting through the rifle scope. Indicating the surrounding area, she remarked, "I think there's something approaching, but I'm not sure…it could be just a smudge on the lens. Can you check?"

He took the scope, cleaning it with his shirt before raising it to his eye again. "Let's see…" In shock, he dropped it, cursing. "Dammit! Come on, we've got to get to the village!" He scrambled down the ladder, pulling Kirara with him as he set off at a run. As he pulled her along behind him, she gasped out, "What did you see?"

"Nobuseri! They're coming here! We have to tell Gisaku-dono."

* * *

When they arrived back at the village, toting a confused Akemi, Ukyo and Kirara found that Satoru, in another guard tower, had already warned the people. Ukyo stopped dead in the middle of the street, gazing around at the startling efficiency displayed by the peasants. _Wow…so this is what samurai leadership can do._

Spotting them, Gisaku rushed over, out of breath. "Mikumari-sama, please take the children and the elderly ones to a safe place. Ukyo-san, Akemi-dono, here are your weapons." He handed them their guns, and they strapped them on, with much grumbling on Akemi's part.

Katsushiro approached, sword at his hip. Ukyo flinched back, expecting another attack, but the samurai simply told him, "We have a war to fight now. Get ready." The gunslinger nodded, checking Benzaiten to make sure it had enough bullets. _I might not like you…but if we have to work together to protect Kirara-kun and this village, so be it._

Akemi grinned at him. "Well, dear brother, it looks like you'll be able to prove yourself to these people in battle now, won't you?" He gulped, thinking, _War…Even in Kurume-mura, I didn't really fight—but this, this is a true war. _Ukyo was oddly exhilarated. _Bring it on._

The first wave reached Kanna within the hour. While Ukyo stood with the archers and supervised those who were using stolen Nobuseri guns, Akemi waited with Katsushiro in the main street. Rubbing her arms to ward off nervous chills, she remarked. "My brother and the long-range teams should take care of most of them. Maybe we'll get lucky, and we won't even have to fight."

Meanwhile, Ukyo bustled around his section, yelling orders and the occasional bit of advice. He paused to help Shino, who was having some trouble loading her rifle. She smiled at him. "Thank you." He replied, "My pleasure. How're things with you and Katsu-kun?" As she sighted down the barrel, she blushed and did not answer. Next to her, her father spluttered something indignantly as Ukyo returned to his post.

There was something soothing about this routine, Ukyo mused. Sight, fire, and a Nobuseri dropped. Although there were a lot of them, and he had to reload frequently, it was easy as long as he remembered to keep an eye out for return fire. He picked off a Tobito who had been about to fire. _I hope Kirara-kun is alright._

* * *

Hidden in a storehouse, Kirara was attempting to keep the children calm by leading them in prayer, but it wasn't working very well. The younger ones kept sniffling; the older ones were bored and fidgety. It didn't help that the injured combatants were brought to her, keeping Komachi busy with the water crystal. She gazed up at the ceiling. _Great Inari-sama, please grant your protection upon us. Great Benten-sama, please give us luck and keep us safe from harm._

Outside, Akemi sat down, leaning against a wall. "Hey, Katsu-kun, I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up when—" She never finished her sentence, as a Raiden stormed into view. "An ambush? Or do they have us surrounded?" She reached for her guns, but Katsushiro beat her to it, running forward and dismantling it with ease. Breathing hard, he returned to the ground. "Are there any more, Akemi-dono?"

"I'd go look, but we can't leave our posts!" She glared at him. "You jerk! I wanted to fight something!" The samurai sweatdropped._ She's always so eager to kill Nobuseri…Doesn't she realize that this is war?_ **(2.)**

* * *

Back at the front lines, Ukyo squinted, shielding his face from the sun. They had destroyed a good number of Raiden and Tobito, but the speedy Mimizuku were proving harder to hit. Already there had been several injuries among the villagers, who were taken to Kirara and Komachi to be healed. _That's good, but…there's only so much they can do. _The giant catapult could be used only rarely, due to the time-consuming tasks of loading and firing the damn thing.

A cry of pain reached his ears, and he dropped Benzaiten, sprinting towards the sound to see a panicked Satoru supporting a bleeding young woman with bluish-purple hair. "Fujiko-chan! Hang on; we'll get you to safety." Ukyo knelt by her side, seeing the bullet wound in her arm. Struggling upright, she smiled weakly. "I got 'im, right? Satoru-chan, calm down. Pick your bow up and keep firing!" Shakily, he nodded, motioning to the man next to him to get her to Kirara.

As Ukyo walked away after giving words of condolence to his friend, he thought, _That could have been Kirara-kun. Now I'm almost glad she wouldn't let Akemi teach her how to fight._ Then he remembered how many times she had been put in danger, dragging others with her because she lacked the skills necessary to protect herself. _On second thought, as soon as this battle is over, I'm teaching her to shoot._

Back in the village, Mimizuku and Yakan had poured into the main street. Katsushiro was slicing through them methodically, while Akemi jumped and scrambled through the horde, firing when she had room and smashing them with the spikes on her guns when she didn't. Occasionally, she used the knives to disable a Mimizuku for Katsushiro to finish off. And then one of them knocked her headband off.

For a moment, all time seemed to stop, as she saw the colorful red silk with its wood backing spin to the ground. And then she snarled in fury, charging into the fray. She didn't even bother to pull the triggers (not that it would have mattered—she was out of bullets), simply smashing her way through the assembled Tobito and Yakan.

When there were none left, she calmly walked back to wear her headband had fallen, dusted it off, and pushed it back onto her head. "Well, that was…fun."

Next to her, Katsushiro buckled; he had taken a deep cut to his sword arm. Her eyes widened in shock and sympathy. "Katsu-kun, if you can still walk, head to the storeroom where Kirara-chan is." He shook his head. "I'd be deserting my post—" She shook him, pulling him upright. "You're injured. I'll be just fine."

As he walked away, clutching his arm, Akemi sighed, reloading her guns. _I wonder how my brother is doing. _She didn't get a chance to speculate further, however, as a Benigumo hovered into view. Firing rapidly, she severed its arm, causing it to buckle and fall to the ground in front of her. She nearly dropped Tsukikage in shock as it spoke.

"Please…don't kill me! It was all my brother Shigeo's fault; he started it!" Leveling her guns at the thing's head, she nodded. "Go on…" He—she was fairly sure that the voice was male—continued, "He wants to destroy this village—everyone except some blue-haired guy with a scarred face. Seems this guy's from Uken-mura, and killed a bunch of our troops up in Kurume. I've told you all I know—please don't kill me!"

She smiled at the fallen Benigumo. "Don't worry. You'll go to nirvana in peace, I'm sure…" Humming, she made as if to walk away.

"Oh, thank you, beautiful lady! I—"

She turned and fired, hitting him between the eyes. "…Just a little sooner than you might have thought."

* * *

That night, with the battle over, the village held a feast. Akemi ate voraciously, chowing down on anything within her reach. Next to her, Ukyo sighed at his sister's appetite. "Mei-chan, don't eat so fast—you'll choke! And you shouldn't be drinking sake either." She glared at him, taking another gulp. "Geez, you're so weird, oniichan. You don't drink, you don't smoke, you barely eat meat…this is a party! Enjoy yourself!" **(3.)**

Kirara smiled at him. "Ukyo-san, you saved us today." He shrugged. "You and Komachi-chan saved a lot more people than I did. I just shot things." Next to him, Akemi nearly choked on her food. "Oniichan! I just remembered something _really_ important!" She reached over and smacked Katsushiro in the shoulder to get his attention.

Quickly, she told the villagers what she had heard from the fallen Benigumo. As she spoke, they fell silent. When she finished, Katsushiro blurted out, "So let's go track him down! He deserves to die!" Many of the people, including Akemi, concurred, and the hall was soon a babble of voices. Ukyo held up a hand for silence.

"Now, let's be reasonable here. I'm not going to seek this person out. I'll fight to defend this village, but there's no sense in going out looking for a battle. We have no idea of the size of Shigeo's army. We don't even know where he is! I say that if he sends more Nobuseri here, we fight them—but we don't go looking for the guy! That's suicidal."

He turned to Kirara, adding in a low voice, "Besides…I wouldn't want to run off to war and leave you here alone." She blushed, smiling at him. _Ukyo-san…I truly do love you. And I appreciate the way you try to be considerate of me, but…eventually, you will have to fight._

Meanwhile, Shino edged closer to Katsushiro, remarking, "I've been learning how to use a bow, but I don't think I'm very good." He went red, replying, "Well…I could help you get better, if you want." She smiled. "That would be wonderful, Katsushiro-sama, thank you."

Akemi snorted, muttering, "That liar. She could kick his ass with that thing, and she has the nerve to say she's not good!" Sighing, she stared at the people around her. _Everyone's so happy…I wonder how long it will last?_

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Ukyo, like Katsushiro, is treated basically as a "guest" of the village, meaning that he isn't really expected to do any work. However, he'll do anything for Kirara or one of his friends.

2. The answer to Katsu's question, in case you're wondering, is "Not really, no." Akemi knows that this is war and people die in war, but she is oddly amoral to that fact. She hates Nobuseri with a passion because mechanical samurai killed her mother, Kotone, when she was two. Therefore, she views war only as a way to get revenge for her mother or protect people she cares about. The thought that _she_ might die is something she refuses to dwell on.

Kotone was Ayamaro's wife, whom he married in the hopes of having an heir. However, she was sickly, and after giving birth to Akemi, she was unable to have any more children. She looked like a paler, more elegant version of her daughter. If she knew of Ukyo's harem or Akemi's gunslinging, she would probably faint at the vulgarity—after giving her adopted son that slap in the face he needed so badly during the series.

3. Ukyo's abysmally healthy eating habits have a base in canon. Notice how he's always eating fruit? In my warped mind, this transformed into a near-vegetarian diet. He'll definitely eat red meat, if it's served to him, but he usually eats things like chicken and seafood. "But", you say, "wasn't he seen eating steak in episode 2?" Look at how he cuts it. That's either some very tender meat, or tofu-steak.

Next Chapter

Shigeo has gotten the news of his brother's demise. To draw out the people responsible, he kidnaps Kirara. Now, much to their displeasure, Ukyo and Katsushiro have to work together to get her back. And of course, they're not going alone. Old friends appear to lend a hand!


	8. Kidnap!

The news of the second Battle for Kanna-mura spread throughout the country by the next morning.

When he got the news, Shigeo was sitting in his throne, fine-tuning his mechanical arm. Toshiki, his second-in-command and one of the only other humans in his army, walked in. He could immediately tell that something was wrong. "Speak."

The younger man hung his head, staring at the polished steel floor. "My lord…the attack force that was sent to Kanna was destroyed. Your…Shinji-sama was among those slain." Shigeo's eyes widened in horror. "No…Leave me! Get out of my sight!" Obeying his lord, Toshiki nearly scrambled out of the room.

Shigeo slumped in his chair, staring off into space. _My brother…Shinji is dead!_ To his shock, he felt tears gather in the corners of his eyes. _Little brother…I swear I'll make Kanna-mura pay with blood for your death. But how to lure that man to me…_He felt a smile forming, remembering a certain choice piece of information he had heard from his spies. _The Mikumari._

* * *

It was a lovely morning in early summer, and the Ryugujo School of Houtedo was opening for business. It was situated in a large, traditional-style estate, with red tile roofs and a grand courtyard. However, the huge buildings showed signs of wear.

This peaceful scene was shattered by a boy in his late teens, who picked up a copy of the Daily News, scanned the headlines, and turned to yell, "Okaasan! Mail's here! And Ukyo-san's in it!" His mother stepped out onto the porch, buckling her gun belt.

Tatsuko Amami was in her mid-forties, tall and no longer very thin after giving birth to three children. She had blue-green hair with gray streaks pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her eyes matched the streaks in her hair. Her voice trembled as she answered her son. "Ukyo-kun? But…but he…he died, didn't he?"

At the sound of her son Tatsuro's yell, her other children had scrambled out of the house, and now they crowded around their mother. Tatsumi, the youngest and the only girl, leaned over her mother's shoulder and read out loud. "The village of Kanna was attacked by a band of Nobuseri yesterday. Working with the peasants, a young man by the name of Ukyo drove them back. Hey…they wrote his name wrong! **(1.)** Okaasan, what's the matter?"

Tatsuko had started to shake, murmuring, "He's alive…" She thought back to the first time she had seen him, a shy boy of twelve who loved shooting. He had begged her to teach him; impressed by his enthusiasm, she had agreed. And then her face lit up. "Kids, I'm going to go see him. Tatsumi-chan, keep an eye on your brothers while I'm gone, okay?" Face glowing with the realization of responsibility, she nodded, while her elder brothers grumbled about why did their _little_ sister have to watch them.

* * *

In Kurume-mura, Kyoichi hummed a marching tune to himself as he climbed into his Yakan unit, waving goodbye to his girlfriend Kohaku before pulling the lid down. He had gotten the news that morning. _Let's see what Ukyo-san's been up to._ He pulled out the map he had brought with him. _Okay…Kanna is…that way. I think._ **(2.)**

* * *

Kirara walked through the fields, enjoying the feeling of the sun on her face and thinking about Ukyo. That morning, he had offered to teach her how to shoot. _I appreciate the gesture, but…I'm a little scared._ She thought of Ukyo's hands. Years of shooting had left him with scars on his fingers and large calluses on the heels of his hands. _I don't really want to put myself through that…but I also want to be useful to Ukyo-san._

A blur of motion in the distance caused her to spin around, suddenly nervous. Then there was a stinging sensation in her shoulder, and her world went dark.

When she came to, her first horrible sensation was of being cramped. She was in a dark place, and there was barely any room to move. A voice very close to her ear snapped, "Girl. Don't move a muscle." As her eyes focused, she saw that she was inside a Yakan unit, and the pilot was glaring at her.

"Why—why did you kidnap me?" He sighed, reaching over her to pull a lever. "My name is Toshiki. I work for Shigeo Hirosegawa-dono. Your _boyfriend_ killed Hirosegawa-dono's brother. You're the bait we're going to use to draw him out. Can you push that button for me?" Numbly, she did as he asked.

"Ukyo-san will save me, you know." He grinned, and in the dark she shivered. "That's what we're hoping for, girl."

* * *

"Ukyo-niisan! Katsunoji!" A breathless Komachi ran into the village meeting-house, waving a scrap of paper. Gisaku looked up, annoyed, from the meeting he had been presiding over. "Mikumari-sama, what's the matter?" As an answer, she wailed, "Oneesama…she's been kidnapped! Look, look at the note…" As she threw it into the air, it fluttered to land in Ukyo's lap.

As the young Mikumari sobbed in a stunned Akemi's arms, Ukyo read the note out loud, voice shaking with each word. "We have the Mikumari. If you want her back, you send the man with the scarred face to the land once called Matsugakure…and he will go alone." When he stopped reading, he stared at the note for a few moments before shredding it into pieces.

Akemi yelped in surprise at this. He added, "Well, it's obvious what we have to do. Which way to Aichi province?" Grabbing her brother's arm as he made to stand up, she protested in a small voice, "You—you're not going there alone, are you?" He turned to her and smiled. "Did you really think I'd leave you behind again, Akemi?"

She mock-glared. "Well, you _might_…" Next to her, Katsushiro got up and bowed to Gisaku. "I'm going to prepare for the trip. Please stay safe."

* * *

"Bullets?"

"Check. And before you ask, Mei-chan—yes, I remembered my GPS. Otherwise we'd never make it there in one piece."

They were standing outside Kanna-mura, and the sun was setting. Katsushiro checked his sword belt for the hundredth time. "Are you ready yet?" Ukyo glared at him. "Don't complain. You took longer to sharpen that oversized steak knife you call a sword than either of us took to get our things together!" Akemi sighed, holding up her hands. "Guys, don't fight now…save it for Hirosegawa!" But the samurai wasn't listening to her; he was staring off down the road, where Shino was standing.

"Katsushiro-sama…you'll come back, won't you?" Everything else in her field of vision seemed to fade away as the one she loved smiled at her. "Of course. I promise I won't be gone long." A yell sounded from Shino's house—her father calling her in to make dinner. She smiled sadly back. "I have to go." As she left, he turned back to the others with a faint grin. They smirked, causing him to blush.

"…Shut up." In response, Akemi burst into song, belting out a popular and rather risqué love song. As they walked down the road together, Ukyo flung his head back and laughed. _I wonder…was I ever like this boy? Young and in love…well, I suppose I'm like that now. Kirara…I'll save you this time. Nobody will ever call me a coward again._

They had barely been walking for half an hour when a distant cry of "Ukyo-kun!" reached their ears. Ukyo turned at the sound of his name, squinting through the gloom to see a face he hadn't seen for a long time. "Amami-sensei!" Katsushiro frowned, studying this woman who had run up to them from the direction of Kanna, and was now doubled over gasping for breath while Ukyo filled her in on the recent happenings.

She had gray eyes and blue-green hair so like his own that he wondered briefly if they were related, and was wearing a man's white yukata and gray hakama. Underneath her kimono she was wearing a white shirt emblazoned with characters reading "Ryugujo". Instead of a sword, she had two ancient revolvers strapped to her side. _Well, I guess she would, if Ukyo addresses her as "sensei"._

Getting her breath back, she straightened up, and Akemi made the introductions, "Amami-sensei, this is Katsushiro Okamoto-kun. Katsu-kun, this is my sensei, Tatsuko Amami-dono." He bowed. "It's very nice to meet you." The older woman grinned. "I heard about your victory in the news. I just had to come see you. A nice girl at your village told me you went this way. Now that I'm here, I suppose I might as well help you." She hefted a large bag. "I brought food! And tons of spare ammo for your handguns."

Grateful, Ukyo nodded before scanning the horizon. A Yakan hovered into view, and Akemi reached for her guns. Ukyo held out a hand to stop her. "Wait. I think I know that one." Sure enough, the lid popped open to reveal Kyoichi's grinning face. He leaned his elbows on the edge, waving at them. "Heeeey, Ukyo-san! How've you been? What're you doing out on the road at this time of night?"

Sighing, Ukyo turned to his companions, "Mei-chan, this is Kyoichi Sanada, the guy I told you about. Kyoichi-kun, this is Katsushiro-kun, my sister Akemi, and my old teacher Tatsuko Amami-dono." Akemi looked from her brother to this new arrival. _Hmmm…they kind of look alike. Maybe…_She shook her head slightly, dismissing the idea. _Can't be._

Kyoichi grinned hugely. "Oh, it's nice to meet all of you! So what are you guys doing?" The younger man groaned. "It's a long story…Let's walk and talk at the same time."

* * *

The next morning, after a very uncomfortable night spent sleeping on the ground, they were on their way again. Katsushiro was in the lead, using Ukyo's GPS to determine the route. In the back, Akemi and Kyoichi (who had slept in his Yakan) were trading stories of their lives. And, between them and the samurai, Ukyo was walking alongside his old teacher.

"Amami-sensei…have you ever been there? To Uken-mura, I mean." She frowned, trying to remember. "I believe so. It was…wow, it must have been before you were born. It was so beautiful there…you could see why they called it Matsugakure. It was in this valley, and there was a forest so thick you could barely see the village." She sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Nobuseri have destroyed the trees now."

The general mood of depression that hung over the pair was broken by a shriek of laughter from Akemi at something Kyoichi had said. Ukyo spun around. "You better not be laughing about me! I swear I'll…" His sister just snorted, dissolving into a fit of giggles. "T-the look on your face!" Seeing her doubled over holding onto her stomach, Kyoichi raised an eyebrow. "She always like this?" Ukyo nodded, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, guys? You might want to look at this." Ahead of them, Katsushiro had stopped, indicating the area in front of him. Or, more accurately, he indicated the large swamp which was blocking their way. A collective groan rose up from the group. "Damn it…" "Mosquitoes. I hate mosquitoes." "Can't we just go _around_ it or something?" Only Kyoichi was calm. After all, in his Yakan he would never need to step foot in the sludge.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kirara had endured an extremely cramped and painful overnight journey in Toshiki's Yakan. Finally, they ground to a halt, and he hopped out, stretching, before reaching in and roughly pulling her to her feet. "Come on. Hirosegawa-dono will want to see you."

Obediently, she shuffled along behind him, his hand on her wrist. She hadn't slept at all, and her muscles were incredibly stiff. And then she saw the fortress, and she gasped. It resembled the old capital in every way except size, for it was much smaller. As she got closer, she realized that it had crashed into the ground so long ago that moss grew on the walls. A door slid open, and they entered; he helped her up.

As they walked through huge echoing steel halls, Toshiki explained, "This army is mostly Nobuseri. I'm one of the few humans who haven't gotten mechanized yet—even Hirosegawa-dono's got a mechanical left arm." They reached a huge steel door etched with a family crest that Kirara didn't recognize. He knocked, and it slid open with a hiss of hydraulics. "Enter."

And then she saw Shigeo Hirosegawa for the first time. He was a man in his early fifties, with rapidly thinning hair, beard, and moustache that was mostly gray, although she could see it had once been blond. His eyes were dark blue and so cold that she shivered. Her trembling increased when he addressed Toshiki.

"Is this the girl?"

"Yes, my lord. I left the message there as you ordered."

"Excellent. Kill her."

Kirara gasped both in terror—_He's going to kill me_—and at the way Toshiki's hand tightened around her wrist, squeezing it painfully. Calmly he questioned, "My lord…if you really want to make that man Ukyo suffer, why not keep the girl alive until he comes, and then kill her in front of him. Much more dramatic."

Shigeo leaned back, studying his prisoner. She was very young, and plainly terrified. She was also obviously untrained in any of the ways of self-defense. "Hmmm…I suppose you have a point. Very well. She will be in your care until then. Do what you will with her. You are dismissed."

Toshiki bowed deeply. "Many thanks, my lord." Once they were back in the hall, Kirara turned to him. "You…" He interrupted her smoothly. "…Just saved your life, thank you." Her eyes widened. "Why? Why would you intervene on my behalf?" He reached out and ruffled her hair, knocking her headdress off. "I had a daughter once. She would have been around your age." **(3.)**

* * *

Ukyo had been slogging through the swamp and its ankle-deep slime for hours, with no end in sight. He swatted a bug, glad that the only skin he was exposing was his face and ears. Akemi, in her capri pants and elbow-length sleeves, wasn't so lucky. He could hear her cursing and complaining loudly as she slapped mosquitoes. Ahead of them, the two samurai forged onwards.

Katsushiro squinted through the gloom. "Tatsuko-dono, do you see that? It looks like we might have reached the end of this." The older woman sighed. "I hope so. These bugs are fierce!" She scratched a bite on her neck.

From behind, he heard Ukyo yell, "Please tell me you found a way out and that we're not just wandering in circles!" followed by Akemi's snide retort of, "Who do you think he is? _You?_ We'll be fine. Ouch! You didn't have to _hit_ me…"

"Well, stop making fun of me!"

Kyoichi stuck his head out of the Yakan again. "Kids…act your age. We're almost out, see?" Indeed, they had reached the other side of the swamp. Ukyo nearly collapsed, glad to be on dry ground once again.

Katsushiro consulted the GPS. "Let's see…We just crossed the border into Aichi province. It should only take us about…a week to get to Uken." Akemi groaned something, resting her head against her brother's back. He sputtered, "A week? But in that time, Kirara-kun could…" He grabbed the electronic device out of the young samurai's hand, punching buttons furiously. "Let me see that! There must be a faster way…Ah, found it!"

He held it up, and the others crowded around the screen. There was a pass through the mountains a few miles away. "See? This should cut travel time by a few days. What were you planning to do, Katsu-kun, go around it?" Kyoichi hopped out of the Yakan, inspecting the screen. His face fell.

"Ukyo-kun…this mountain pass is very dangerous. If we go through here, we might not make it out in one piece." Annoyed, Ukyo straightened up. "I don't care. If it will help us rescue Kirara-kun, I'll go there."

The samurai growled, "Hey, who made you the leader?" Tatsuko sighed, rubbing her temples to ward off a headache. _Here we go again…_ "Kids, last time I checked, rescuing Ukyo's girlfriend was our top priority. Let's just see if we can make it to the pass before nightfall, okay?"

* * *

By a stroke of good fortune, they made it to the foot of the mountains, and there was a small inn there. The old proprietors, a man and his wife, eagerly welcomed their customers.

Ukyo nearly staggered into the house. "Please, please tell me you've got indoor plumbing. I need a bath…" As the old man nodded, Akemi swerved around her brother, with Tatsuko in tow. "I called it! Boys, stay out!" The men looked at each other with a single thought running through their heads. _Damn._

Gathered around a low table, they stared at each other in silence for a few moments. A fly buzzed around their heads. Kyoichi gazed around at the plain wooden walls. Finally, Ukyo cleared his throat.

"So, anyone know how to play poker?"

* * *

"So, how've you been?"

Tatsuko shrugged, squeezing excess water out of her hair. "Ryugujo's been doing well. I think you guys were my good-luck charm—I've been getting students regularly ever since I taught you. I think Tatsumi-chan's following in your footsteps—look out for her next time you compete."

Akemi snorted, toweling herself dry. "Sensei, just because she's your daughter doesn't mean she'll be able to beat me. Oh, thank Benzaiten!" She had spotted the hair dryer. "I didn't think they would have one!" She started to dry her hair, blowing most of it into her face. As she spat black strands out of her mouth, her former teacher giggled.

"Having trouble? Here, let me help." Matter-of-factly, she took the machine from Akemi's hand and started the job, ignoring the girl's protests. "Hey, I'm just out of practice! Kirara-chan's house barely had plumbing, never mind electricity. I spent the last eight months towel-drying my hair!"

"Yeah, okay. What's this Kirara like, anyway? I want to make sure she's a good match for my student."

Akemi raised her voice slightly to be heard over the sound of the hair dryer. "Trust me; she's got the Akemi Seal of Approval. She's my oniichan's complete opposite—compassionate, serious, and selfless. Only thing is, though, she's _too_ serious, she can be kind of mean and inconsiderate sometimes, and she has this annoying tendency to make hasty judgements about people. Other than that, she's okay."

Turning off the hair dryer, Tatsuko shrugged on the yukata that the inn had provided. "Good to hear." The sound of revelry reached their ears, and the older woman pushed the door open, looking around with Akemi on her heels.

In the main room, a poker game was in full swing. Katsushiro was gazing at his hand with a doubtful expression on his face, while Kyoichi and Ukyo were arguing vehemently.

"Four of a kind does _not_ beat a full house!"

"What the hell--are you crazy? Of course it does! Look, see?" Kyoichi grabbed the younger man's arm, indicating the cards. Seeing a potential fight, Akemi reached over and swatted both of them in the back of the head. "Stop it, you testosterone-poisoned psychopaths."

Seeing his sister and Tatsuko clean and dressed, Ukyo breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm gonna go take a bath. Katsu-kun, you owe me 300 yen."

There was a brief scuffle, as the others had the same plan. Tatsuko solved it by shoving all of them into the bath and locking the door, ignoring their complaints. "Men are so silly sometimes."

* * *

That night, following a hearty dinner and what would later become known as "The Great Ping-Pong War of Ishigaki Pass", Ukyo lay on his futon, staring up at the ceiling and listening to the snores of his companions, all of who had been forced into a single room. Mindlessly, he drummed his fingers on the scar on his stomach.

_Kirara-kun…she could be dead or worse by now! I want to go to her…but if I tried to leave now, I'd never make it._ Sitting up, he took his GPS out of his bag and turned it on, lighting his face with the green glow. _Maybe I can find out more about that man._

"Oniichan…?" Next to him, Akemi stirred, rubbing her eyes. "You shouldn't be awake this late. It's..." She peered at her watch, squinting in the gloom. "My god, it's past midnight. Put that thing away and go to sleep." He sighed, muttering, "I can't help it. I'm so worried about Kirara-kun…and I can't do anything!"

She laid a hand on his arm. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's fine. Now, get some sleep—you won't be able to help her if you pass out from exhaustion."

* * *

The next morning, freshly bathed, in clean clothes, and loaded down with food and supplies, they left. Ishigaki Pass was waiting.

Ukyo gazed up at it in shock. The road ascended steeply before disappearing into the fog that, according to the GPS, pervaded this area year-round. From what he could make out, the path was rocky and uneven. Next to him, Akemi sighed unhappily at the prospect of falling flat on her face. He squared his shoulders.

"Right. Let's get going."

* * *

Author's Notes

1. The newspaper wrote Ukyo's name in kanji, rather than katakana. As a side note, the name of the school Tatsuko runs, Ryugujo, is taken from Japanese mythology. It was an undersea palace of the Dragon King, therefore it makes sense that Tatsuko's children all have "dragonish" names—Tatsuro (dragon son), Tatsuya (become dragon), and Tatsumi (dragon beauty).

2. Beside the obvious physical resemblance, all of the Amanushi's clones have one other thing in common--they have zero sense of direction. Without his GPS, Ukyo might never have found Kanna-mura, even with a map.

3. Was Kirara even wearing that thing at the end of the series? I can't remember. Toshiki's daughter was married at a young age to a man very much like Ukyo was before this fic. She and her firstborn son died in childbirth, and Toshiki never forgave his son-in-law. This is also why he personally hates Ukyo, because he can see his daughter's fate threatening Kirara.

Next Chapter

Ukyo and the others brave the treacherous Ishigaki Pass to reach Kirara, and find a surprise waiting for them at the other side! Let the Battle of Uken-mura begin!


	9. Kill!

A note on ages: It's now the beginning of summer. Kirara and Shino are twenty, and Akemi is turning twenty in a few weeks. (She's a Leo.) Katsushiro celebrated his 18th birthday in December. Kyoichi is 28, and Tatsuko and Toshiki are in their mid- to late-forties.

* * *

Ukyo groaned. The pass was steep and the air was cold and damp, making the thin scars on his face ache. **(1.)** He had quickly dropped behind everyone else. Even Akemi, who usually would have fallen flat on her face a dozen times by now, was doing a better job than him. _Just…keep thinking of Kirara. That's all I can do now._ His vision wavered, blurring his view of Akemi in her borrowed red coat.

He leaned against the rocky wall to catch his breath, gasping. His chest and ribs seared with agony as he coughed, trying to extract oxygen from the thin air. _Pain…can't breathe!_ Black spots danced in front of his eyes as he fell to his knees. A metallic voice next to his ear asked, "Hey, Ukyo-kun, you okay?"

He jumped, realizing that Kyoichi had dropped behind to check on him, and had spoken without bothering to raise the lid of his Yakan. "D-don't do that! I'm fine." A sound that could have been a snort answered him. "Yeah, right. You're coming with me." With that, the Yakan grabbed his collar with a mechanical arm, pulling him along to join the rest of the group.

Katsushiro glared at him. "Why did you help him? He's just holding us back—ouch!" Akemi had slapped the young samurai in the back of the head. "He's my brother. Plus, do _you_ want to personally dismantle who-knows-how-many Nobuseri? No? Then you'll need a sniper—and he's S-rank with rifles; I'm only B-rank." **(2.)** As she glared, he stepped back. "Hmmph. Okay."

"That's nice. Let's keep going! Oniichan, are you alright now?" Ukyo nodded, and his sister grabbed his arm, carefully placing it around her shoulder (the one that wasn't weighted down with her shoulder bag). Smiling, he nodded.

Akemi called ahead to Tatsuko. "Hey, Amami-sensei! How's the path ahead?"

"Rocky, steep and with a lot of loose gravel. Ukyo-kun, hang on to your sister—you know how she's got no sense of balance. We should reach the halfway point by tonight if we hurry."

Unnoticed by the group, a Tobito was watching them, focusing its single eye on Ukyo. "Transmit video feed."

* * *

Toshiki squinted at the computer screen. _Is that… _A young man with blue hair had his arm slung over the shoulder of a teenage girl. He smiled faintly, folding up the laptop. The technician asked him, "Toshiki-sama, what should we do?" He shrugged. "I have to go tell someone."

He strode to the halls until he came to his chamber and threw the door open. A voice inside yelped, and he sighed. "Girl. You have to stop doing that every time I open the door."

Kirara flushed as he entered the room. "I'm sorry…"

"Never mind. Look at this." He placed the laptop on a metal desk and opened it with a flourish, showing her the video the Tobito had captured. She gasped in shock. "Recognize anyone?"

_Ukyo!_ "No, sorry. These people are complete strangers to me!"

He grabbed her shoulder, making her wince. "Liar. Why protect them? Why protect the boy? He'll only hurt you." Trembling, she met his gaze. "I love Ukyo-san. Why do you try to protect me and yet you want to kill him?" His eyes widened, remembering.

"_Father, I know you're trying to protect me…but I love this man. I want to marry him…"_

"My…my daughter…she was married to a man very like your Ukyo, a rich merchant. And do you know what happened to her?" Kirara shook her head as he continued, voice like steel. "She died in childbirth, her and my grandchild. She was so happy… 'Look,' she said, 'you're going to be a grandfather. Isn't that wonderful?' And then she died—that bastard of a son-in-law killed her!"

Kirara laid a hand on his arm consolingly, but her voice held no sympathy. "I'm sorry about your daughter…but it wasn't her husband's fault she died in childbirth, and it doesn't affect me and Ukyo-san. And…if he comes here…" She glanced away, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Toshiki threw her arm off, shaking. _She looks…just like her. Just like Moriko…my daughter, I wonder if you still watch over me. And…if you can go to nirvana knowing what I've become._

"…I didn't see anything crossing Ishigaki Pass."

* * *

Hours later, after a hasty meal cobbled together from the food they had gotten from the inn, the group arranged themselves on the ground in a clearing to sleep. Ukyo winced; no matter where he put his sleeping bag, there were rocks jabbing him in various uncomfortable places. _I hate this. I really, really hate this._ On the opposite wall, Kyoichi had thrown the lid of his Yakan open, and was snoring loudly. Around him, the samurai were sleeping peacefully, bundled into their sleeping bags and blankets.

Noticing this, Akemi threw her hands up in the air and asked, "What _is_ this? Is there some sort of samurai gene that lets those two sleep on rock like it's a feather bed?" She had found a reasonably flat place to sleep, and was bundling herself up. "By the way, oniichan, there's a place over here."

"Thanks." He threw his sleeping bag down, carefully placing Benzaiten next to him. As he pulled his blankets over himself, he heard Akemi say sleepily, "Oniichan…when we reach Kirara-chan, you'd better ask her to marry you. Okay…?"

He stared up at the stars, taking a deep breath. _Marry…Kirara?_ He knew he loved her…but to be truthful, the idea of marriage had never crossed his mind. Logically, he knew he would have to get married someday, but he had never envisioned it as meaning anything. _But this is Kirara. She's…different. Marrying her would be wonderful. When I see her again…_ Before he could finish the thought, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

They reached the other end of the pass at sunset the next day. Tatsuko saw it first and gasped in horror.

"The trees…"

Ukyo came up behind her, peering over her shoulder; he stared. What had once been a rich forest was now a wasteland filled with the decaying tree stumps. The stench of motor oil hung heavily in the air. Nobuseri swarmed overhead, and, in the place where Uken-mura had once been, there was Shigeo's base—an ancient, refurbished Honmaru battleship.

Softly, Akemi remarked, "Wow…it looks like the capital. Only a little smaller, I think. Oniichan…?" Ukyo had started to tremble, unshouldering his rifle. "This place…it was beautiful once. It will be beautiful again." He smiled, and the others shivered. "Come on, everyone. Let's go kill Nobuseri!"

Katsushiro glared at him. "Not so fast. Look out there—don't you see how many there are? We need a plan." Akemi shrugged. "Hey, you guys didn't have a plan when you went after the capital, and everything turned out alri—" Ukyo indicated his stomach angrily, and she winced. "Sorry. Forget I said anything. But really, the only plan that might work now is 'going in there with guns blazing.' Unless you, oh fearless leader, have a better one?"

It took Ukyo a few seconds to realize the question was directed at him. He blinked in confusion. "Um…um, hang on, let me think…Ah! Here's an idea. I stay here and pick them off from a distance, and you guys go fight them up close." Disappointed, the young samurai sighed, but Akemi and Tatsuko looked at each other and grinned. Kyoichi flew over to them and asked, "Well, what about me?"

"What about you?"

"What am I going to do? I can't fight like you guys—at least, not without a sword." Tatsuko unwrapped a bundle that had been strapped across her back, and Katsushiro gasped as she pulled out a finely made taisenshatou, explaining, "I come from a samurai family, but I gave up the sword a long time ago. I took this with me because I thought it might be useful—maybe I could sell it on the way. But now I see it should be used one last time."

Turning, she presented the sword to Kyoichi with a flourish. Lifting himself out of the Yakan, he accepted it with a deep bow, buckling it on his waist. "Thanks, Tatsuko-san."

Then, with various battle cries, they swept down the hill and into the fray.

* * *

Akemi sprang out of the way of an unfortunate Raiden as Katsushiro sliced it to ribbons, spinning to tear holes through a Benigumo. Somewhere, she knew that Tatsuko was doing the same thing. She halted for a moment, wheezing. _Damn…out of practice._

She shrieked in panic, realizing a Nobuseri's sword was heading for her. As she jumped out of the way, it toppled over. _Thanks, oniichan._ Regaining her poise, she shot through the hordes of mechanical samurai, dealing death in her wake.

Meanwhile, Tatsuko was utilizing her former samurai training, running straight up a Raiden's arm to shoot it up close. As she leapt back to earth, she saw a red streak below her, followed by a greenish-blue flash. _Akemi-san and Katsushiro-kun…Ganbarre!_

* * *

Toshiki watched the monitor with a sinking feeling. "Hirosegawa-dono's not going to be happy about this…" Kirara leaned over his shoulder curiously and gasped as she saw her friends tearing through the Nobuseri. As she watched, a Nobuseri that had been taking aim at Akemi dropped, as though shot from a distance. She smiled slightly. _Ukyo…_

Toshiki stood up abruptly. "Right. Well, then." Kirara trembled. "What…what are you going to do, Toshiki-sama?"

He grinned. "I'm going to go report my findings to Hirosegawa-dono…but first, I'm going to open a door. Here." With that, he pulled a revolver out of his shoulder holster and tossed it to her. Catching it automatically, she asked, "What do I do?"

He sighed heavily. _That's right…she can't fight her way out of a paper bag._ "Here's the trigger, here's where the bullets go in, and all you have to do is aim and fire. Keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to do that—shooting yourself in the foot really, really hurts." With that, he left.

Kirara stared curiously at the gun, lifting it slowly. _So…this is what it feels like to hold a gun. How strange. I thought it would be heavier._ She thought of Ukyo's offer. _Now I know he'll save me. When he does, I'll ask him to teach me to save myself._

* * *

The assembled group fought their way to the building. Out of breath, Akemi gasped, "Katsu-kun—opening! There!" He grabbed her by the collar, pulling her the last few feet to a door that had been left ajar. As they caught their breath, they were joined by Tatsuko, who was bleeding from a series of small cuts, and Kyoichi, who had avoided the fights completely by zooming down the hill in his Yakan.

Katsushiro started to run in the door, but was stopped by Akemi. "Wait for my brother, okay?" He sighed, but held his place.

With the larger Nobuseri defeated, Ukyo ran down the slope, blasting away the Mimizuku and Tobito in his path before finally skidding to a stop just inside the door. Kyoichi slammed it behind him, leaving his Yakan in the corner. "Where to now?"

Ukyo leaned against the wall, letting Benzaiten drop to the ground. "I'm going after Hirosegawa. Akemi, Amami-sensei, you guys go save Kirara-kun."

"What? But, oniichan, I thought you—"

He grinned at her. "You're supposed to protect Kirara, aren't you? Isn't that what you set out to do?"

She nodded, smiling back. _Right. That's my job. I…am Kirara's bodyguard. I have to do my job. _"Okay. It would be nice if we had a damned _map_…but beggars can't be choosers. Come on, let's go, sensei." Katsushiro demanded, "What about me?"

Ukyo smirked. "You? You stay here and guard the Yakan and my rifle—I won't need it in here."

As Akemi and Tatsuko made their way to the place where Kirara was being kept, Ukyo and Kyoichi ambled through the halls. Nervous, the older man checked the sword Tatsuko had lent him. "Still sharp…Good." Ukyo snorted, reloading his guns. "What were you expecting? You didn't use it! You just snuck past all the Nobuseri without even fighting—good job on that, by the way. That's what I would've done in your place." **(3.)**

They reached a fork in the road, and looked at each other. Ukyo shrugged. "You take the left-hand path, and I'll take the right-hand path. You've got that two-way radio, right? Give me one, and call me when you find him." Kyoichi nodded, and they split.

Ukyo walked down the hall alone, nerves on edge. His footsteps echoed on the floor. Although he hated to even think such a cliché, it was much too quiet. _We just decimated a good number of his troops. Why are there no guards?_ Hearing movement ahead of him, he froze, relaxing as it moved away.

Eventually, he reached a large steel door with a crest etched into it. He squinted at it, turning his head to the side. _That mark…_He smiled, recognizing it from long-ago studies. _Shigeo Hirosegawa, here comes your death._

Hirosegawa was waiting inside, calmly inspecting a large katana. "Ah…I was waiting for you, akindo-sama." Ukyo snarled a curse, leveling Orihime. "I am _not_ a merchant anymore."

"And yet, you still use a gun. And you know what they say about merchants…" Shigeo's smirk was positively hellish. "Underneath their fancy robes, there beats the heart of a coward. If you had any sort of honor, you would have slit your stomach like a man! But then again, maybe you aren't a _man_ at all…"

Ukyo fired. Coolly, Shigeo blocked it with his mechanical arm, before turning and running. After a few seconds of staring blankly, Ukyo gave chase.

* * *

Meanwhile, the two women fought their way across the castle. Unlike the area surrounding Shigeo's chambers, this place was packed with guards. Dispatching the last mechanical guard with a well-placed shot, Akemi turned to her old teacher, who had fallen to her knees. "You okay?"

Tatsuko nodded, straightening up slowly. "I told you—I'm old. When you're old, things don't work so well." She coughed painfully; concerned, Akemi put an arm around her shoulders. And then she smelled it.

"Cigarette smoke…?" Together, they proceeded down the hall and rounded the corner. At the end of this hallway, there was a door. A man in his forties was leaning up against it, calmly smoking a cigarette. When he saw them, he stubbed it out on the wall, addressing them.

"Is one of you Akemi-san?"

She blinked; taken aback by the fact that he showed no fear of her or the guns she carried. "Yeah, that's me. Whaddaya want, ossan?" **(4.)** He smiled politely. "She's in here." Opening the door he had been leaning against, he snapped, "Girl, your friends are here."

Akemi squealed with happiness as Kirara emerged, running to hug her friend. "You're okay! I mean, of course I knew you'd be alive but still…Oh, I'm babbling now, aren't I?" Hugging Akemi back, Kirara gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "I'm just fine; Toshiki-sama protected me. Where's Ukyo…san?"

Seeing that Kirara had almost forgotten her usual honorific, Akemi grinned as she replied, "Going after Shigeo Hirosegawa." She turned to Toshiki, who had introduced himself, with much formality, to Tatsuko.

"Do you know where he is?" Toshiki nodded. "Follow me. I'll take you to him. Kirara-san?" He indicated the revolver she still carried. "Don't hesitate to use this if you're in trouble. Let's go."

* * *

Ukyo ran up seemingly endless flights of steps, following Shigeo. "You coward! Get back here!" The demented Nobuseri leader cackled as he continued to run, bursting through a door. Ukyo followed.

He found himself on the roof of the building, and froze. The wind howled around him, whipping his hair into his face. Shaking, he dropped to his knees. _I can't move…_ Ahead of him, his nemesis laughed. "Well, what do you know? My hunch was right! Getting a sense of déjà vu, Amanushi-sama?"

Ukyo trembled as memories assailed him. _He was in the capital, firing at the old samurai, who simply ran straight forward, not even dodging. All his bullets were deflected…There was a bright flash, followed by searing pain, and he fell to the ground. He was out of bullets. He was going to die._

"Kirara…"

Shigeo drew his sword, walking towards him. "Your Kirara isn't here, and even if she was, she couldn't save you. You can't even save yourself!" He raised his sword for the killing blow. "I wonder if the Amanushi will reward me if I kill you." Behind him, the door to the roof opened.

Kirara had run up the stairs in panic, followed by Toshiki, Katsushiro and the other women. Now she stood in the doorway, wide-eyed and staring, unnoticed by either combatant. "Ukyo-san…" _He's going to be killed!_ "Ukyo-san…UKYO! Move!"

Shigeo paused, glancing over his shoulder in annoyance. Ukyo's head snapped up, eyes focusing. _Kirara…she said my name!_ Galvanized into action, he threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding Shigeo's downward swing, and fired.

The bullet ricocheted off Shigeo's left arm, spinning off into space. Smirking, Shigeo struck back; Ukyo dodged and fired again. These bullets tore through the other arm. He cried out in pain, but kept his grip on the katana. "You little brat!" With a snarl, Shigeo slashed at Ukyo again, cutting a deep wound in his arm and causing Hikoboshi to spin out of his hand.

Ukyo scrambled backwards, trying to stay out of range of the sword. Frantically, he fired with his remaining gun, but Shigeo blocked or deflected the shots. "Just face it. Samurai are the ultimate fighters. A mere gunslinger could never defeat a true bushi."

Ukyo pulled the trigger…and nothing. There was only the clicking of an empty chamber. Smiling triumphantly, Shigeo raised his sword again for the kill. Ukyo's eyes widened in horror. And then a shot rang out, and the samurai buckled. As he fell, Ukyo realized he had been shot in the back of the head--and Kirara was standing behind him, holding a smoking gun with a look of great shock on her face.

She trembled, falling to her knees and dropping the gun. "I…" Ukyo ran to her, embracing her tightly. She sobbed into his shoulder. "H-he was going to kill you! I had to…" He grinned, kissing her. "I love you so much; you know that, right?" She smiled through her tears, clinging to him. A loud wolf whistle caused them to pull apart.

He glared over her head at Tatsuko, the source of the whistle. While Kirara had been watching the fight, the others had quietly crept up behind her. Akemi grabbed the doorframe as the wind picked up, whimpering, "Can we go home now?" Katsushiro edged past her and retrieved Ukyo's handgun, throwing it to him roughly.

Catching the gun, he ignored his sister's question, turning instead to the girl in his arms. "Kirara-kun, are you alright now?" She winced, shivering as she caught sight of Shigeo's body. "I'll be okay. How…how are we going to get home?"

Toshiki grinned. "I'll take you to Kanna. I have a transport vehicle I borrowed from the Shikimoribito years ago and…_forgot_ to give back. I think it'll last long enough to get all of you home." Ukyo glanced at him suspiciously. "And why should we trust you? For all I know, you could be planning to have us killed."

Kirara looked from one to the other. "Ukyo-san…it's okay. He saved my life; I think we can trust him." Toshiki tried to look as innocent and non-threatening as possible, mindful of the other's skill with guns.

"Hmmph." Ukyo nodded at the older man, rubbing his injured arm. "Get us out of here…before my sister passes out." Akemi was trembling, holding onto the doorframe so hard her knuckles were turning white. Tatsuko sighed, gently prying her student's fingers off the metal. "C'mon, Akemi-san. Let's get out of here."

As the others made their way down the stairs, Kirara looked up at Ukyo, shaking. "I…I killed someone…" He shrugged, picking up the revolver she had dropped and tucking it into his belt. "He deserved to die. Don't worry; it'll be alright."

Kirara nodded mutely, vision blurred with tears. _I killed someone…he's dead because of me! With this blood on my hands…will the water crystal work for me again?_

* * *

Author's Notes

1. I keep mentioning the scars on Ukyo's face, but they're not really that noticeable. They're very thin, white scars that stand out strongly in certain lights, such as sunset.

2. There are 4 types of guns in Houtedo: handguns, rifles, shotguns, and heavy artillery (machine guns, etc.), and each of these has its own set of skills. A gunner's skill with each of these is measured by ranks from E (rookie) to A (mastery). The vast majority of shooters fall in the range of between D to B-rank. S-rank shooters are the rank above A. Not only have they mastered their specific gun type, they are also qualified to teach others. Reaching S rank takes years of practice.

3. At this point, Ukyo has suspected that Kyoichi is another Amanushi clone, but since he's not sure, he'll probably never say anything. Kyoichi is clueless, naturally.

4. "Ossan" is a contraction of "oyaji-san", which means something like "old man" or "you old geezer". It's not a very nice thing to call somebody.

Next Chapter

After Kirara's "crime", can she ever be the same? When the gang gets back to Kanna, they have a bigger problem—Shimada Kanbei has returned to the village, with the intention of finishing what he started! Will this spell doom for Ukyo and Kirara? Find out next time!


	10. Outrage!

(headdesk) I had SUCH a hard time writing this chapter.

* * *

Ukyo sighed, leaning on the railing of Toshiki's vehicle, and wondered how long it would take to fall apart completely. _He wasn't kidding when he said this thing is a hunk of junk._ It was unpainted, allowing him to see that there was more rust than metal. As it sped along, something creaked ominously, and his hands tightened on the railing.

His thoughts turned to Kirara, who was sitting on the deck, staring off into space. Since the defeat of Shigeo two days ago and their subsequent exit of Aichi province, she had barely spoken or eaten, despite his urging. _My darling Kirara…I wish you would tell me what's wrong._ **(1.)**_ It hurts me to see you like this…_

Toshiki spoke up from behind him. "Worried about that girl?" Ukyo harrumphed. "That's none of your business." The older man glared at him. "Excuse me? I saved her life. You do know why she's acting like this now, right?" Ukyo shrugged. "How should I know? I am a man of many talents, but mind-reading isn't one of them."

Toshiki clapped a hand to his forehead, muttering, "Such an idiot…Listen; I was married and had a daughter, so I think I know what's going through her mind." He grabbed Ukyo by the shoulders, shaking him roughly. In a low voice, so that Kirara wouldn't overhear, he hissed, "She killed someone. How do you think she feels? How did _you_ feel, when you killed someone?"

Pushing Toshiki away, Ukyo replied nervously, "Umm…I don't know. I usually just try to avoid thinking about it. But they're my enemies, so why should it matter?" Toshiki sighed. "Look, just go comfort her. She needs you right now."

"No, she doesn't." They turned to see Akemi standing in the door to the cabins, having listened to their conversation. She rolled her eyes as she added, "If you go over there, she'll start crying. _Again_. Trust me; we should leave her alone for now." **(2.)** She paused, thinking out loud, "And who's flying this heap of scrap metal anyway?"

"This is not a heap of scrap metal!

"You're right—it's a rusty, decrepit heap of scrap metal."

While the others bickered, Kirara sat alone on the deck, curled into a small ball. For two days, she had been unable to eat much more than a few mouthfuls of food. Over and over, her mind replayed the scene. She saw Ukyo at the edge of the roof, his terrified face as he ran out of ammunition, and Shigeo's attack. Before she knew it, the gun was in her hand. She rubbed her hands together, as if that could erase what she had done.

_I killed someone. I killed someone._ She buried her face in her hands, trembling. _Great Inari-sama, what have I done? Have I lost the favor of the gods?_ She was glad now that Komachi had held onto the water crystal.

* * *

The next day, they reached Kanna.

Kyoichi raised an eyebrow. "_This_ is your home village?" Akemi smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey, if you're going to talk like that, you should have gone home to Kurume." The man shrugged. "They're going to feed me, right?"

"You're just like my brother—always thinking with your stomach." Her eyes widened as a fragment of thought drifted into her brain. _Just like my oniichan…_ Before she could focus, the notion was gone.

As Toshiki helped Tatsuko from the vehicle, a shriek of joy caught their attention. "Oneesama!" Komachi ran over the bridge, flinging herself into her sister's arms. Kirara smiled faintly. "Komachi, I'm glad to see you too." Her sister trembled, hugging her tightly. "Oneesama…I have really, really bad news! O-samurai-sama's back!"

Kirara gasped, catching Ukyo's eye. He had turned white, half-reaching for his guns. Next to him, Akemi trembled with rage, hands balling into fists. "That _bastard_. He has the nerve to show his face around here?" Tatsuko looked confused. "Who are you talking about?"

Ukyo shivered, placing a hand on his stomach as if trying to keep his guts from spilling out. "Kambei Shimada. He was the one who tried to kill me. He's here?" Komachi nodded. "He arrived a few hours ago…he's been talking with the elder. I didn't tell him about you, but if he finds you…" Ukyo sighed, rubbing his recently injured arm. _Everywhere I go someone's trying to kill me._

Tatsuko remarked, "Shimada? I went to school with his cousin! I met him a few times; he scared me a little." Toshiki growled, "We fought together during the great war." Akemi's jaw dropped. "You were friends with him, Toshiki-san?"

"Did I say that? I barely knew the guy…he was a few ranks above me. Always barking orders. And Bishamonten forbid someone question him!" Toshiki shuddered. "The last thing I want to do is meet him again. But…I don't have anywhere else to go now."

Tatsuko grinned. "Well…are you any good with guns?" He blinked. "Fairly, why?"

"I run a school—Ryugujo School of Houtedo. My kids help, but we sure could use an extra teacher. How about it?" Toshiki stammered. "Uh, I—that is…" Kyoichi unsubtly elbowed him in the ribs, and he blurted out, "I would be delighted. Which way?" Tatsuko bowed, turning to her former students. "I leave this in your hands. I have faith that you can save yourselves from him."

* * *

As the two took off for Tatsuko's hometown, Akemi and Ukyo stared after them. "Was she just flirting with him?" Ukyo had a look of revulsion on his face. "Unfortunately, yes." Akemi clapped a hand to her forehead, muttering something about how disgusting it was for old people to be doing things like that.

Komachi piped up, "Who were those people, Ukyo-niisan?" He replied, "Friends of ours. The woman was Tatsuko Amami-sensei, my old teacher. The old guy was Toshiki, who saved your sister's life. So…about Shimada…" He trailed off, shivering despite the warmth of the sun.

Akemi shrugged. "We live here, don't we? And I don't know about you, but I want to go home and take a bath."

As the others entered the village, Katsushiro hung back, thinking furiously. _Sensei is back…What can I do now? This may be my best chance to get rid of Ukyo. But if I do that, Kirara-dono would surely hate me._

* * *

As they entered the village, an eerie silence hung over them. At least, it did, until Akemi whispered "What are you going to do, oniichan?" But Ukyo had run into the house, sliding the door closed with such force the frame shuddered. Akemi rolled her eyes and started to follow him, but Komachi called after her, "What do we do now, Akemi-neesan?"

Akemi growled "Unfortunately, since I can't kill him, I'm going to have to ask you to distract him. Kirara, don't you dare start complimenting him. In fact, don't say _anything_ to him unless you have to. I'm going to go take a bath, if my brother's not in there already."

She went into the house just as Kambei Shimada walked up to the group and bowed politely. "Kirara-dono, I heard about your kidnap. I am relieved to see you are safe. Are you well?" Kirara nodded, hoping her apprehension did not show on her face. _Kambei-sama…I thought I was in love with you, once. But now I'll do whatever I can to protect Ukyo. Please understand…_

As he bowed in greeting to his former student, Kambei watched Kirara and frowned. _She's hiding something…If Ukyo did something to her, he will regret the day he entered this village._ "Excuse me. I must speak more with Gisaku." As he passed Katsushiro, he murmured, "Keep an eye on Ukyo. He is not to be trusted." The young samurai automatically nodded.

* * *

Freshly bathed and changed into his spare clothes, Ukyo joined the rest of the house around a low table. Kaede informed him, "There will be a feast tonight, because of you and Akemi-sama returning my granddaughter."

Ukyo sighed, catching Akemi's eye. She leaned her elbows on the table. "Obaasan…even if I wanted to go—you guys all know I can't stand Shimada—my oniichan wouldn't be able to. Shimada would kill him on sight! I think we should--"

"I'm going."

Kirara gasped. Akemi raised an eyebrow. Komachi blurted out, "Ukyo-niisan!" He smiled faintly. "I'm not a coward anymore. This is my home now, and I won't be driven into hiding by someone like him."

Komachi said, "If…if you're going then so am I! After all…I'm the Mikumari, right? I have to put in an appearance."

Akemi ran her fingers through her hair nervously. _This is probably a bad idea…but what the hell, oniichan's right. This is my home._ "Ehh…count me in. Just make sure you seat him far, _far_ away from me."

* * *

That night, as promised, there was a feast. Gisaku sat at the head of the table, with Kambei on his left and a sleepy Komachi at his right. The aging samurai glared down the length of the table, disregarding the revelry taking place around him.

_That bastard Ukyo…he can't have changed so quickly. He must be plotting something._ His eyes settled on where Ukyo, seated next to Kirara at the middle of the table, was ignoring the newcomer's (was his name Kyoichi? Kambei wasn't sure) attempts to rope him into joining a drinking contest. _Pathetic._ He could sense Akemi glaring at him from the other end of the table.

Fujiko timidly tapped her on the shoulder. "Akemi-san?" Without looking at her friend, the younger girl snapped, "Yeah, whaddaya want?" Fujiko flinched. "Um…Kambei-dono is glaring at you. Just thought you should know…What do you have against him anyway?"

"He's a traitor!" Unfortunately, this exclamation came at a lull in the festivities. All merriment stopped as the villagers stared at her. Ukyo quietly buried his head in his hands. _Dammit, we're really in for it now._

Kambei's voice was filled with menace. "What…did...you…call…me?" Akemi stood up, hands balling into fists. "You heard me! But maybe I should repeat it. You're a traitor!"

Gisaku asked, "Now, let's be reasonable. Akemi-sama, what do you mean by calling him a traitor?"

The girl laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. "You mean you didn't know? Oh, this is rich." She turned to the villagers, raising her voice to be heard over their nervous whispers. "On the night before they attacked the capital, I thought I was supposed to come with them. I knew they were going to kill my brother—my brother, who as you all know helped save this village and Kirara-chan from Hirosegawa. I thought that if I went with them, I could save him…"

Seeing Katsushiro, she smiled coldly. "Katsushiro, do you know what your wonderful, esteemed Kambei-sama did? He left me behind." She slammed her fist into the wall on each word of her next sentence. "He. Left. Me. Behind. If I had come with Shimada, I could have saved my brother, gotten him to turn the capital around. Kanna-mura would have been saved without bloodshed, and no samurai would have died that day."

Komachi whimpered as she realized what Akemi meant. _If Akemi-neesan had fought…Kiku would still be alive._

Akemi raised her eyes, looking each villager in the face. Satoru, still clutching his sake cup. Fujiko, staring at her with wide eyes. The very pregnant Sanae, and Rikichi holding his wife's hand. Kirara, with a hand held to her mouth in shock. Ukyo, trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. Finally, her eyes settled on Kambei's as she snarled, "Everyone…Kikuchiyo-san, Heihachi-san, Kyuuzo-sama…even Tessai…their deaths could have been avoided so easily! All you would have had to do is wake me up that morning before you left. Well? What are going to say for yourself?"

Kambei replied, "Ukyo needed to die. If you had gone with us, justice would not have been served. The loss of our comrades was regrettable, but there was simply no other way."

Ukyo had been debating whether or not running was his best option. Now, seeking to distract Kambei, he snapped, "Well, I didn't die, in case you haven't noticed. And I hardly call the loss of half your warriors necessary."

Kambei turned on him with rage in his voice. "They died thinking that your evil would be eradicated! They died to keep Kanna-mura safe! And now you have the nerve to walk in here and sit at this table, in this village, and the people think you've changed! The newspapers called you the 'Hero of Matsugakure', the 'Savior of Uken-mura'! If they learned the truth, you would be dead by now."

Ukyo growled, reaching for his guns before realizing he'd left his gun belt by the door, leaving him defenseless. Kirara gasped as Kambei stood up, buckling on his sword. "I will finish what I started. But not here." The old samurai left, storming out into the night.

An uneasy silence hung over the room, as the villagers stared at each other and murmured. With a shrug, Akemi plopped herself back into her seat, nudging Fujiko in the ribs. "Well, that's that. Fujiko-chan, can you pass me those noodles?"

* * *

"Come on, oniichan, please? Just hide up a tree with your rifle and a night-vision scope, it wouldn't—"

Ukyo pulled his shirt off, glaring at her. "Akemi, how many times do I have to tell you? I am not going to assassinate Shimada. The village might lynch me or something, and Kirara-kun would hate me forever." He threw himself down on his futon, pulling the sheet up over his head. "Now, _go to sleep_, it must be past midnight."

As Akemi began to snore, Ukyo sighed. Although he had tried to remain calm, knowing that he was marked for death was extremely nerve-wracking. _But what can I do? If he fights me and I lose, I die. If I win, the village might turn against me. And Kirara…_ He thought of what Akemi had told him about Kirara's previous infatuation with Kambei. _I don't want to know what her reaction would be._

A faint sniffling reached his ears, and he sat up, straining to hear more. _Kirara?_ Carefully, he tiptoed out of the room and padded down the hall, wincing at the feel of cold wood touching his bare feet.

Kirara was slumped against the wall outside the bathroom, sobbing quietly. She looked up as Ukyo approached. "Ah, Ukyo-san…I'm sorry to disturb you." He knelt on the floor next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Kirara-kun… why are you crying?" She rested her head on his shoulder, blinking back tears.

"K-kambei-sama…if you fight him…" She trailed off, unsure of how to finish the thought. _You'll die…he'll die…I will never forgive him…_ Finally, she embraced him tightly, crying into his shoulder. He smiled faintly, embracing her in return. "You worry too much, Kirara-kun. I'll be alright."

As he helped her up, he glanced down, and his eyes widened, seeing a large bruise on her leg. "Kirara-kun, how'd you get that?" She started to cry again, leaning on Ukyo's arm for support. He looked on with dread as she choked out, "I…I tried to heal it with the water crystal…and it didn't work. I…"

"Eh, oniichan…whassamatta? What's all this—Kirara-chan! What happened?" A half-asleep Akemi had stumbled out of her room, rubbing her eyes. When she saw her brother holding a sobbing Kirara, she rushed to her friend's side. "Kirara-chan, Kirara-chan…it'll be okay. Don't cry…" As she hugged Kirara, she mouthed to her brother, "Go back to bed. I've got her under control." Ukyo shook his head, leaning against the wall.

Eventually, Kirara stopped crying. She straightened up, wiped her eyes, and smiled. "I'm alright now. Thank you." With that, she went back to bed. Akemi and Ukyo stared at each other.

"Oniichan, what the hell--?"

Ukyo sighed heavily. "I'll tell you in the morning, Mei-chan."

* * *

The next day, Ukyo and Akemi were sitting on the guard platform. Akemi was clinging to the railing as though her life depended on it; seeing this, Ukyo rolled his eyes. "Akemi, you're not going to fall off. Calm down. You're perfectly safe up here."

Slowly, she cracked open one eye, and then the other, relaxing her grip on the wood. "You know, there must be some safe place _on the ground_ where Shimada won't find you. So, why was Kirara-chan crying?"

Quickly, Ukyo told her what had happened the previous night. When he was done, Akemi clapped a hand to her forehead. "Wonderful. Just…wonderful. Now we have to wait for her to snap out of it, and hope nobody gets seriously hurt in the meantime."

At Ukyo's questioning glance, she elaborated. "The last time this happened was right after you tried to attack Kanna. Kirara-chan was feeling horrible, and she was beating herself up emotionally. Just like now, the water crystal wouldn't work for her, so she gave it to Komachi…and right after she did that, I tripped and sliced my arm open—don't ask me how, I have no idea. Kirara fixed it."

Ukyo frowned. "So, let me get this straight. When she feels guilty or depressed, she can't use the crystal. But then when she takes her mind off of whatever was bothering her, it works again?"

Akemi nodded. "And with Shimada out for blood, we'd better hope she snaps out of it soon."

* * *

Meanwhile, Kyoichi was seriously regretting his decision to stay in Kanna-mura. Since Katsushiro was sharing a house with Shino and Manzo (who had acquiesced after realizing that his daughter couldn't possibly come to any harm with him one room over), Kyoichi and Kambei were staying in Rikichi's house. After a night spent sharing a room with a man who was supposedly Ukyo's mortal enemy, all he wanted to do was hightail it back to Kurume as fast as his Yakan could take him. _But I did kinda promise Ukyo-kun I would help him…_

He sighed, inspecting the sword Tatsuko had given him. He hoped he wouldn't have to actually use it—he hadn't fought in years.

"Where did you get that taisenshatou?"

Kyoichi flinched as Kambei spoke from behind him—he hadn't even known the older man was there. _How the hell does he do that?_ "Um…Tatsuko Amami-sama gave it to me! She's Ukyo-kun's sensei…"

Kambei frowned. _Tatsuko Amami…I've heard of her. A traitor to her ancestry, she gave up the sword and turned to guns after her husband was killed. I didn't know she accepted students, though._ He rested his hand on his sword, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the nervous Kyoichi.

"You are…_friends_…with Ukyo, aren't you?"

Kyoichi gulped, nodding rapidly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should get out of there while he still could, but he wanted to see where this conversation would lead. "I-I saved his life a few times."

Kambei's voice was devoid of all emotion as he replied, "One of those times was at Kanna, wasn't it?" Kyoichi trembled, shaking his head. Quicker than the eye could track, Kambei's sword was out and pointed at his chest. "I have very little patience for liars."

Kyoichi shuddered. "I…I saved his life then, too. What of it?"

Kambei's eyes narrowed. "Tell me more. Tell me everything."

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Ukyo may be cunning and highly intelligent, but he's still a guy. He has very little clue what goes on in Kirara's head, and even after Akemi explains it to him, he still doesn't understand why it's such a big deal.

2. Akemi's not really that callous. She just hates being expected to comfort people, and she doesn't like to be around when anything horrible happens.

Next Chapter

Well, Kambei's threatening Kyoichi for info, Kirara's currently depressed and useless, and Ukyo and Akemi have no clue what to do. Of course, there's only one way to get Kambei to leave our brave heroes in peace—fight him! But who will dare oppose him? Ukyo's already been almost killed by him, so _he_ won't want to fight…unless he has the proper incentive, of course.


	11. Cry!

I know it's been nearly a month since the last chapter. I'm sorry it took so long, but my muse was MIA for a while. And I just realized that my chapters are getting shorter and shorter as time goes on. Hmm…

* * *

Coming to a halt, Kyoichi leaned against a tree and shivered. The interrogation he had just undergone with Kambei Shimada had been one of the most intensely harrowing experiences of his life. For nearly an hour, under the guise of a friendly conversation, the samurai had questioned him about Ukyo, trying to find out everything Kyoichi knew. When he was done, the younger man had fled into the woods. _I'm sorry, Ukyo. He's just…too scary. I wonder, would he really have killed me if I lied?_

He slumped down into a sitting position, burying his head in his hands. _What do I do now? I could go back home…Kohaku-san must really miss me by now. But if I do that, I'd be abandoning Ukyo-kun and Akemi-san to face that samurai. I can't do that. I have to stay here._ He wondered what use Kanbei could make of the information he had received—after all, Kyoichi didn't know much about his companion. _All I know is the way he fights…_

* * *

Kambei knelt on the floor of Rikichi's home, pondering the information Kyoichi had given him. _Ukyo's fighting style…he has apparently mastered several different styles of Houtedo. Dual handguns, sharpshooting…and from what I remember of our confrontation at the capital, he is skilled with rapid-fire weaponry as well._ _Defeating him…may require some…underhanded tactics. But sacrifices are necessary in times of war. Ukyo is a cancer that must be eradicated, for the good of the world._

He stood up, drawing his sword and inspecting the blade. _Even if he wields the famed Orihime and Hikoboshi, there has never been a gun that can withstand samurai steel. Kyuuzo-dono…I will execute the man who caused your death. And if I fail…I'll see you in the afterlife. _**(1.)**

Silently, he left the house and walked out into the summer sunshine. Deep in thought, he barely noticed when he arrived at Kirara's house, where her grandmother was sweeping the porch. He bowed politely.

"Good morning, Kaede-dono. Is Kirara-dono here?"

Kaede shook her head. "She ran off after breakfast…I don't know where she is now, great samurai. I think she may be at the waterfall."

Kambei nodded and continued down the road. _I heard from Gisaku-dono that she and Ukyo are a couple. I can't believe she would have fallen for his tactics so easily…I must speak with her._

* * *

Restlessly, Ukyo paced the guard platform. "This is bad. This is very, very bad. What can we do?"

Akemi shrugged. After the first ten minutes, she had gathered up enough courage to move from the center of the guard platform to the edge closest to the tree, and was now leaned against the trunk, looking bored. "Well, let's see…the last time you tried to fight him, you almost died. The last time you tried to face a samurai head-on—although I'm not sure if Hirosegawa counted—you almost died. So…" She trailed off, looking at him expectantly.

Ukyo frowned, leaning against the railing. "So..." And then realization dawned, and his face lit up. "That's it! Akemi-chan, you're a genius!"

Akemi blinked. "Um…you've lost me." Her brother hugged her fiercely, and she yelped; when he released her, Ukyo asked, "Do you remember that book by that gunslinger, Saya Minatsuki? **(2.)** She wrote about a special technique she had developed for fighting samurai—ricocheting bullets."

She grinned. "Ah, I remember now. But didn't she die at the hands of a samurai?" Ukyo glared at her. "That's beside the point. Do you think you can scrounge up some targets?"

"Well…I think if I ask around the village I can get some old junk or something. Fujiko-chan might have stuff. You know, this is a pretty dangerous technique. Are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

Ukyo nodded. "I don't particularly want to fight Shimada, but I'll have to be able to defend myself if he comes after me—nobody else will."

Akemi smacked him. "What am I, chopped liver?" He sighed, rubbing his arm. "If you and I gang up on him, you might actually wind up killing him—and I know you don't want Kirara-kun to hate you. And Katsu-kun isn't going to fight his sensei, especially to help a guy who, may I remind you, _won_ the affections of a girl he used to have a crush on."

As he helped her down the ladder, she remarked, "You don't think he still…?"

Ukyo snorted. "Did you see him with Shino-san last night? He stuck to her like white on rice. He even tried to impress her father with stories of how he was fighting the Nobuseri."

She giggled, catching the end of the rope ladder and throwing it up to the guard platform, where it landed with a thud. "That takes guts. Most guys in the village are scared to death of Manzo—gutless wimps. Hmm…maybe Katsu isn't so useless after all."

* * *

As Kaede had predicted, Kirara was sitting by the waterfall, staring into the mist. The water crystal was tied to her wrist; in her hands, she held the small revolver Toshiki had given her, mindlessly running her fingers over the smooth metal. Her mind raced.

_I…I killed someone…_

_He would have killed you and Ukyo if you hadn't pulled that trigger. He needed to die._

_But still…but still, I…_ She felt tears gathering at the corners of her eyelids, and wiped them away with her fingers.

A twig snapped behind her, and she sprang to her feet, whirling around to meet the newcomer's gaze. "Kambei-sama!" He smiled faintly, but there was little warmth in it. "Kirara-dono…I've been meaning to talk to you about a rather important matter."

She watched him nervously as he continued. "Gisaku-dono told me a rather unusual story when I arrived yesterday. He told me that you had started a relationship of sorts with _Ukyo_. Now…was he telling the truth?"

Kirara's eyes widened._ Yes…yes, I love Ukyo. I love him and there is __nothing__ you can do to take him away from me. If I tell you that, you won't still try to kill him, will you?_ She smiled, her first smile since the day she killed Shigeo. "Yes."

Rage twisted the old samurai's features, and Kirara flinched back. "How could you?! After what he did—after what he was planning to do—how can you stand there and say you're with him?! I thought you had more sense!"

She gulped and trembled, staring at the ground. "I…I love him. I really do. He is kind and brave and intelligent. He may not be the most honorable of men, but I know he would never hurt me. Not now, not after he gave up his old life entirely to see me again."

Kambei growled. _I don't believe her. Ukyo can't possibly have changed so much so quickly. _"I'll be watching him. If he tries anything…" He turned on his heel and left, melting into the trees.

Kirara sat back down with a dull thud. _This is dreadful. What can I do? If he gets the chance…he'll kill Ukyo. I…I can't let that happen._ She looked down at the revolver she had dropped in the grass. It was quite pretty, with its engravings of clouds and waves. _Hard to believe it was made to kill. If…if Kambei-sama goes after Ukyo…I might need to fight him as well. But…it's __Kambei__. I don't want…_ She began to cry, burying her face in her hands and sobbing helplessly. The water crystal on her wrist began to glow faintly.

_What do I do? Great Inari-sama…Benzaiten…great kami, what do I do? Tell me! Please…if you haven't forsaken me, give me guidance._

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the woods, the air rang with the sounds of gunfire. Akemi had found enough junk to furnish a collection of acceptable targets, and Ukyo, outfitted in shooting glasses and earplugs, was attempting to get his shots to ricochet. He wasn't having much luck.

He swore loudly as another bullet thudded into a tin can and lodged there. "Dammit! It just isn't working…maybe I need to use lighter ammo. Akemi, can you—" He looked around, and realized that he was talking to thin air; his sister had left for the village some time ago.

His hands tightened around Hikoboshi. _Right. Let's try this again. _This time, he thought back to his lessons with Tatsuko, focusing his ki. **(3.) **The gun trembled in his hands as he dug his heels in. Much to his delight, the shot hit a piece of scrap metal and bounced, slamming into a tree trunk. _Excellent. Okay, let's see, if I stand over here…_

Several hours later, as the sun went down, Akemi rejoined him, standing well out of range of any stray bullets. She grinned as Ukyo lined up another shot.

The bullets bounced from tin can to tree stump to broken-down crate before lodging in a salvaged Nobuseri part. Akemi clapped wildly as Ukyo took his earplugs out, asking her, "That was good, right?"

"Excellent! I came to tell you that dinner is ready, by the way. You'd better wash up before you eat—you kinda smell like gunpowder. Oh, and Kyoichi is eating with us."

* * *

Dinner at Kirara's house was subdued that night. Kirara picked at her food, barely eating despite her grandmother's entreaties, while a ravenous Ukyo bickered with Komachi over the last of the rice.

Kyoichi stared at his plate without really seeing what he was eating, until Akemi elbowed him in the ribs. "Kyoichi-san, whassamatta? You're so quiet, and that's not like you." The man shuddered. _I can't tell them. I can't…but I have to._ Quietly, he replied, "I spoke to Kambei-sama this morning."

Ukyo paused, shoving the rice bowl over to Komachi. "So? What'd he do?"

Avoiding eye contact with the other inhabitants of the room, Kyoichi blurted out, "He threatened me…until I told him about you. I swear I didn't mean to! It just kind of spilled out…You do know how incredibly scary he is, right?"

Ukyo's eyes narrowed. "What, exactly, did you tell him?"

Kyoichi's head snapped up, looking at the younger man with wide, frightened eyes. "N-nothing! Just…I told him about the way you fight…"

"Oh, is that all?" Kyoichi blinked; Akemi sighed in relief as her brother clarified, "It doesn't matter if he knows my fighting style—I know the way he fights, and _his_ method doesn't change. I've been developing a new technique which should help defeat him." Kirara shivered, and Ukyo wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm not going to kill him if I can help it; don't worry."

Kirara closed her eyes, leaning into Ukyo's touch. _It's not Kambei-sama I'm worried about, Ukyo…it's you._

* * *

The next morning, Kambei walked down the dusty road to Kirara's house. Unbeknownst to him, he was being followed. Katsushiro was trailing him at a safe distance, watching his movements carefully. He had heard from Shino that morning that the older samurai was planning to fight Ukyo, and Katsushiro wanted to be there to help—his old sensei or Ukyo, Katsushiro wasn't sure.

_Kambei-dono is my sensei. I owe him my allegiance and my respect…and Ukyo is supposed to be my enemy! He's annoying and rude to me and I should want him dead, but…he is good to Kirara-dono and hasn't harmed her. I don't like or trust him…but I don't think he deserves to be killed._

Katsushiro flattened himself against the wall of a nearby house to watch as Kambei strode up to Kirara's house. As usual, Ukyo was sitting on the porch, cleaning his handguns. He stopped working, but did not look up when Kambei approached. The samurai snapped, "Duel me."

Ukyo met his gaze without fear. "Gladly…but only on my terms, which are these. If I win, you will leave Kanna-mura, and you will never attack me again. Do we have a deal?"

Kambei growled. "I don't make deals with dead men. Fight me!" And he attacked.

Ukyo barely had enough time to dodge, flinging himself sideways to avoid the swing. Grabbing Orihime, he fired three shots in rapid succession, only to have them blocked by Kambei. The gunslinger cursed as he scrambled out of the way of repeated blows, desperately trying to gain enough distance for a successful shot. Each wrong move left him with another scratch. Finally, he executed a backwards jump that put him yards away from the samurai. Focusing his ki, he fired a single shot.

Meanwhile, Kirara and Akemi hid inside the house, the gunslinger standing on a box to see out of the high window. As Ukyo fired, she grabbed Kirara, motioning to her to listen to what was going on. At the sound of gunfire, Kaede started to pray, head bowed.

Kambei snorted in derision as the shot went wide. "You—" He never finished his sentence, as the bullet Ukyo had just fired bounced off a fence to slam into his leg. As he stumbled, he saw Ukyo grinning. "Give up yet, _Kambei-kun_?" With a snarl, Kambei lunged. Ukyo sprang out of the way, firing rapidly. Most of them missed, but two more shots connected, and the samurai grunted in pain.

"Aaagh…" Kambei had been shot in the right arm twice, and wobbled on his feet, losing his grip on his sword. Through blurred vision, he saw Ukyo tremble, relaxing his grip on his guns. _Excellent. Using his ki must have weakened him… _Smirking, he spoke.

"You know, Ukyo…you cause destruction wherever you go. Everywhere…even Kirara-dono. I heard what happened to her…how she killed someone to save your worthless life. She can't use her water crystal now…She's corrupted, and it's all your fault, Ukyo!"

Ukyo steadied himself, focusing his vision and his ki. Through gritted teeth, he replied, "Kirara-kun…is not…corrupt." In a single, fluid motion, he fired with Orihime, and Kambei dropped.

Katsushiro gasped in shock, rushing from his hiding spot to assist his sensei. Ukyo gave him a dirty look. "Were you planning on stabbing me from behind, brat?" The young samurai glared at him.

The women hurried out of the house, Akemi catching her brother as his legs buckled. "Oniichan! Are you okay?" He glared at her, shaking her off and straightening up. "Why didn't you jump in and help me? That guy could have killed me!"

She looked at him incredulously and moved to help Kirara take Kambei into the house. "You _have_ lost your mind. Those ricocheting bullets are dangerous! I coulda gotten hurt trying to help you do something you accomplished perfectly well on your own."

Ukyo smiled to himself as realization dawned. _She's right. I…I did it. I defeated Kambei Shimada, and now he can never come back here to bother me again._

* * *

Kambei groaned in pain from where he laid on the futon the women had dragged out for him. Kirara knelt by his side, bandaging his shoulder.

"Kirara-san, why don't you use the water crystal? It would heal him much faster, and he could leave sooner." Kyoichi leaned against the far wall, watching the procedure with interest. Kirara smiled sadly. "I have been…corrupted. I can no longer heal people with the water crystal."

Ukyo snorted; Akemi caught her brother's eye and smirked, nodding her head towards the injured samurai. Under her breath, she added, "That'll teach him to say bad things about Kirara, huh?"

Kambei and Kyoichi left the next week.

As the villagers watched the samurai stride off into the distance, Akemi blew him a raspberry. "Take that, jerk!" Next to her, Kyoichi was loading his things into his Yakan. Calmly, he told her, "You're acting like a little kid, Akemi-san." Indeed, Komachi had done much the same thing.

Akemi grinned. "So? I'm allowed to act like a kid sometimes. Are you finally going home?"

Kyoichi nodded, climbing into the Yakan. From the porch, Ukyo called out, "Tell your girlfriend I said hi!" The villagers added their own well-wishes as the lid clanged shut, and Kyoichi zoomed away towards Kurume-mura.

Kirara walked out of the house to stand beside Ukyo, laying a hand on his arm. He turned to her with a knowing smirk. "You were lying about not being able to use your water crystal." She gazed at him innocently. "What are you talking about? I only rediscovered my healing powers recently…"

He flung his head back and laughed, hugging the mikumari to him. "Kirara, I love you."

* * *

The next day, a delivery turtle ran into the village, stopping in front of Kirara's house. The driver called, "Mail for…um…it says here "Akemi Sadomura." **(4.)** Akemi ambled out of the house barefoot, accepting the letter the driver thrust into her hands. She read the return address and gasped, nearly dropping it as she rushed back inside the house.

"Guys! Guys, check out this letter!"

Curious, they gathered around as she tore open the letter, carefully reading the first sentence out loud.

"As a returning champion…it is our pleasure and honor to extend to you an invitation to participate…in this year's Kanritsu Shageki Taikai! Yes!"

As she started to dance around the room in joy, Ukyo grabbed the letter out of her hands. "Let me see that! Oooh, listen—it's two weeks from now, and they're holding it…damn this small print…on the northern outskirts of Kougakyo! That's not too far from here! Who wants to go?"

Komachi sprang up. "Me, me! I want to go! Can we, oneesama?" Kirara smiled. "Well…I suppose it wouldn't hurt for us to accompany Ukyo-san and Akemi-san." Akemi grinned. "That's great! Oh, you'll like it there. All these booths spring up—it's like a festival. There's food, and nice hotels, and stuff to buy…I can't wait!"

Kirara sighed. _I'm still a little nervous…but I suppose now is a good time to ask._ "Ukyo-san…may I speak to you? In private, please." He rose, following her into the kitchen. Once there, she pulled out a silver revolver. Ukyo blinked in surprise as she bowed to him.

"I want you to teach me how to use this."

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Yeah, Kambei still wants revenge for Kyuuzo. His attitude—that no mere gunslinger could possibly defeat a samurai—is common among the samurai class, who usually view Houshou (gunners—remember that term from chapter 3?) as dishonorable cowards.

2. Saya Minatsuki is a character from the manga Black Cat, a bounty hunter who used ricocheting bullets to bring down her targets. She was killed by a guy using a katana, but shot off the blade of his sword before succumbing to the wounds he gave her.

3. If samurai can use ki to deflect huge energy beams, gunners should also be able to. They don't put as much importance on using ki as samurai do, but it is useful for certain techniques. Also, shooting glasses—basically, think of sunglasses with yellow lenses, used to filter out glare. They are also shatterproof.

4. "Sadomura" is a false name, which means "sand village" (because Akemi is from Kougakyo, a city built on the edge of a desert). She uses a pseudonym to ensure that her opponents are not intimidated by her status, and to avoid trouble from any family enemies.

On a side note, Akemi's invitation to the tournament is highly unusual, a privilege extended only to last year's champions. (Ukyo fought last year too, winning the shotgun Denkomaru, but he didn't get an invitation because they think he's dead.) Normally, contestants must qualify by winning local or regional tournaments.

Next Chapter

After Kirara's surprising request, she works hard to master the gun. Then, Akemi, Ukyo, and the mikumari sisters are off to the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, where the tournament winners will receive a cash prize and a one-of-a-kind gun! Ukyo re-registers (thanks to the fact that nearly everyone there knows him), but his chances of winning are jeopardized when he runs into an old girlfriend! Will he and his sister still be able to win? Find out next time!


	12. Shoot!

Kirara's training began the next day.

Ukyo took her to the same part of the forest he had used to practice the ricochet shot, carrying a large bag. He sat down, pulled out a box of bullets and motioned Kirara over. She knelt by his side as he explained, "I'm not actually sure if these will work with your revolver or not. Can I see it?" She handed it to him, and his face lit up.

"I know this gun! This is a modified Ruka GS-99…yeah, these bullets will work. Did Toshiki-sama show you how to load it?" She was silent; Ukyo sighed heavily. "Some teacher he is. Okay, here's what you do." He showed her a switch on the side of the gun. "Here's the safety. Make sure it's on at all times, unless you plan on firing the gun…wait, why am I still holding this? Kirara, you hold it."

Somewhat nervous, she took the gun back, holding it with both hands as he instructed her to swing out the cylinder (a task accomplished after much strain, as the revolver was ancient and had not been reloaded for quite some time). With shaking fingers, she accepted the cartridges he handed her one by one and slid them into the cylinder. "Is this right, Ukyo-san?" He nodded approvingly. "You did very well, but try to calm down—we haven't even started firing yet."

He reached into the bag again, muttering to himself, "Okay, we need earplugs…Now where the hell did I put…That's not it, dammit, who packed this—oh, right. Me. Ah, found 'em!" Ukyo held up a small box triumphantly. "Here, Kirara-kun, put these earplugs in. Oh, and you'll want to wear these shooting glasses."

She smiled as she slid them on and her world was tinted yellow. "Toshiki-sama showed me how to hold the gun. Should I fire now?"

Ukyo stood behind her, helping her support the gun as she carefully lifted it, aiming at a tree trunk already much-scarred by bullets. "Hold it tightly, now. And…fire!"

Kirara pulled the trigger. Ukyo caught her as the recoil knocked her backwards, sharing in her groan of disappointment as she missed. "Don't worry; nobody hits the target on their first try. Keep going, okay?" He offered her a smile as he sat down in the shade of a maple tree to watch her next attempts.

Two hours and many used cartridges later, Kirara had attained some measure of proficiency with the revolver--"some" meaning that she was capable of hitting the target most of the time. She sighed as she sat down on the grass next to Ukyo, wiping her forehead. He smirked faintly.

"Kirara-kun, what's the matter? You're not tired already, are you?" Kirara blushed as her stomach grumbled loudly, and Ukyo laughed, pulling her to her feet. "Come on, let's go see if Akemi-chan made lunch yet—and if it's edible."

* * *

Over the next two weeks, while Ukyo and his sister practiced for the tournament, Kirara began to train by herself. Much to her surprise, she learned quickly, soon graduating to smaller and smaller targets.

One summer day, she was sitting by the pond, cleaning her revolver, when a rustling noise caught her attention. She whirled around to find Katsushiro standing behind her, looking apologetic.

"Sorry to bother you, Kirara-dono. Ukyo-san told me to bring you this." He handed her a small toolbox. She took it from him with a smile. "Thank you, Katsushiro-sama. Where are Ukyo-san and Akemi-san?"

He made a face. "Practicing. Akemi-sama's been in a bad mood lately…I think it's because you're training so much, and I've been talking a lot with Shino-dono… It's getting harder and harder to approach her; I can't wait until that tournament."

She smiled. "Neither can I. It's supposed to be entertaining, and it will be nice to not have to worry about everyday things for a while."

A cry from the village reached their ears. "Katsushiro-sama! My father wants to talk to you! Please, come quickly!" The young samurai sighed. "Shino-dono…I wonder what her father wants? I will see you later, Kirara-dono." With that, he bowed deeply and left. Kirara opened the toolbox to find a note taped to the inside. Curious, she unfolded it.

_Dear Kirara_, it read, _I would have given you this myself, but you know how my sister is—right now, she's panicking because we only have a few days left to work on our shooting before we leave. So it's training, training, training all the time. Anyone would think she hadn't already defeated Nobuseri and won several titles! This toolbox and instruction manual will help you a lot in taking care of your gun, since I'm a little busy right now. See you at dinner—if Akemi can put down her guns long enough to make it._

Kirara laughed. _Akemi-san's so bossy! Let's see…_ She opened the instruction manual, squinting at the small print. _"Cleaning Your Revolver: Step One." Okay…hmm, where's the screwdriver? And this goes here…_

Once the gun was cleaned and reassembled, she sat back, determined to relax. However, she found her mind wandering to something she had read in the manual. _It said that most guns are named… usually after some feature of the gun or something precious to the owner. My gun…what would fit? _She ran her fingers over the engravings. _Waves…the ocean…an ocean of clouds… _She gazed up at the sky through the leaves, watching the shifting patterns the clouds made as the wind moved them. _There was a poem I read once…it mentioned a sea of clouds… "Unkai"._ **(1.)**

"Unkai," she whispered to herself. "Yes, I think I like that name."

* * *

Akemi threw her few possessions into a bag by her feet. "I think that's everything. Oniichan, did you get all your stuff?" Ukyo nodded as she continued excitedly, "Isn't this great? I can't believe we're finally going back to this thing! Let's go wait for Kirara-chan by the bridge, come on!" He yelped in shock as Akemi grabbed his wrist, pulling him out of the house and waving goodbye to Kaede.

Kirara and Komachi were waiting for them on the bridge, carrying their bags. Kirara had her revolver at her waist, fastened with one of Ukyo's spare holsters. Her face lit up when Ukyo approached and took her hand.

"Are you ready?"

"…Yes."

"Then let's go. There's a winner's trophy out there with my name on it!"

* * *

Komachi gaped as they reached the open space where the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai was being held. Everywhere the eye could see, there were people bustling around, setting up tents and booths. A series of stadiums towered over the surrounding area, which was also studded with motels and cheap tourist attractions. Akemi spotted a stall selling hair accessories, and nudged Kirara. "I'm going to go over there for a bit, okay?"

Ukyo held her back. "Not yet. We have to register and get our programs and ID cards first." She grumbled, but followed him. They hadn't gotten far when a shriek met their ears.

"Ukyo-sama! Ukyo-sama, Akemi-neesan, over here!"

Ukyo turned, scanning the crowd, until his eyes fell on a young teenage girl with blue-green hair, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the characters "Ryugujo". He hurried over to her. "Tatsu-kun! How've you been?"

She giggled. "I'm fine! Mom and my brothers are getting more stuff for the stall… who's this?" She had glanced behind him, and saw Kirara and Komachi standing there looking confused; Komachi was openly staring at the guns strapped to the older girl's legs.

Akemi grinned. "These're Kirara and Komachi from Kanna-mura! Kirara-chan is my brother's girlfriend. Kirara, this is Tatsumi Amami-chan. She's my sensei's daughter. Tatsu-chan, are you gonna be in the tournament this year?"

The younger girl nodded rapidly. "It'll be my first year actually competing, and I hope I'll do good. My brothers're going to compete in your age group, Akemi-neesan!" Akemi smirked. "Tell them they're goin' down…No, wait, that sounded wrong. We have to go register, but we'll see you later, okay?" She glanced ahead to see that the rest of the group had already moved on. "Hey—hey guys, wait up!"

She ran after her brother. Unbeknownst to her, a young woman was watching from the shadows, smirking. _Ah, Akemi-san…I remember you. I wonder if you'll be so energetic when your beloved brother loses…?_

* * *

The woman at the registration booth frowned. "Akemi Sadomura, here is your ID card and official program.** (2.)** But as for you, young man…" She met Ukyo's eyes, and gasped. "You! But—but you were…"

He grinned, leaning in and whispering confidentially. "As far as anyone knows, I'm still dead…but that won't hurt my chances of registering, will it? You've known me since I was a kid…Surely you can do me this one favor?"

_Hmm…well, I don't think it's actually legal, but…_ She remembered the first time she had seen this man, as a young boy staring wide-eyed up at her, barely able to reach the counter. _Oh, what the hell._ She smiled and rifled underneath the counter, pulling out a thick pamphlet and an ID card on a string.

"Welcome to the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, Ukyo Sadomura-san. Rifle and handgun, I assume?"

Ukyo grinned, bowing deeply. "Yes. Thank you very much." He turned to Kirara, who had found a seat on a nearby bench, and handed them the pamphlet. "The tournament lasts for four days. We'll need a place to stay, so I think you should look through the program—they usually list nearby motels. Kirara-kun, are you alright?"

The mikumari had gone white. In a whisper, she responded, "Ukyo-san…you do know how much money we have, right? And the hotels are expensive. Not to mention we have to buy food and ammunition."

Ukyo shrugged. "So we pay on the way out. It's no big deal—I know a good way to get money in four days." Akemi looked skeptical, asking, "…That doesn't involve selling yourself on some street corner?" **(3.)**

Ukyo flinched. "Akemi! …And no, it doesn't. Use the money you have to buy yourself souvenirs. We'll be okay."

Komachi pointed at something on the pamphlet. "What about here? It's not too expensive, and the pictures look good." Ukyo sat down next to her, peering at the advertisement for the motel in question. "Hey, I've stayed there before, with Tessai and my sister. This place is pretty good—no room service, but they let you use their kitchen."

Akemi grinned. "Oh, yeah, I remember that. 'Grilled cheese sandwiches can't be that hard to make,' you said. And then we had to pay for a new toaster oven. Tessai was _furious_."

"Never mind that! Come on, let's go."

When they reached the motel and checked in, they found a young girl sitting on the floor next to their rooms, wearing an orange and yellow yukata. Komachi grinned at her. "Hey! My name's Komachi; what's yours?" Kirara sighed. _I keep telling her not to talk to strangers…_

The girl coughed before answering. "Yuzu. Yuzu Morita. I'm waiting for my dad…" The door behind her opened, and she yelped, falling backwards against the man standing on the other side. He looked down at her and smiled. "Yuzu-chan!" She giggled as he helped her to her feet, studying the group before him. "Who's this?" Ukyo flinched; the man was huge, easily filling the width of the doorway, and his voice was like thunder.

Akemi bowed politely, looking past the man in the doorway to the guns on the bed. "Akemi Sadomura, competing in the handgun division. This is my brother Ukyo, his girlfriend Kirara, and her sister Komachi." While Kirara blushed at being introduced as Ukyo's girlfriend, the man bowed in return. "Kazuo Morita, and this is my daughter Yuzu. I'm competing in the shotgun and handgun divisions. It looks like we're neighbors. What rooms have you got?"

Akemi checked the keys. "Umm…my brother and I are sharing 103, and Kirara and Komachi have the room across the hall…so, yeah, I guess we're neighbors! Good luck in the tournament!"

As he and his daughter turned to leave, she called after them, "If you want to enroll Yuzu in some handgun lessons, go check out the booth next to Liu's Noodle Emporium, and tell them Akemi sent you!" Ukyo rolled his eyes as he opened the door to his room. "Did you have to do tha—oh, no."

He stared into the room, trembling. Kirara scanned the area beyond him. "What's the matter, Ukyo-san? It's just an ordinary motel room."

"T-this is the room I shared with _her_."

Kirara blinked. "Her? Ukyo-san, who are you talking about?"

Akemi gulped. _Uh-oh. This is not good._ "Hey, Komachi-chan, why don't you put your stuff in your room, okay? I need to talk to Kirara-chan." She grabbed the other girl's arm. "Come on—this is important." Mystified, Kirara followed her down the hall, out of earshot of the rest of the group.

"What is it? Why was your brother so nervous about that room?"

The gunslinger sighed, sitting on the floor and motioning for Kirara to do the same. Once seated, she pulled the mikumari closer and whispered, "Promise that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you. My oniichan would hate for this to get out. Understand?" Kirara nodded rapidly.

Akemi sighed. "Okay. Seven years ago…my brother had a girlfriend. His first girlfriend, Dokumi Yamakagashi. **(4.) **He brought her here because she was learning how to shoot and wanted to see a tournament. While they were here, on the last day of the tournament…he slept with her, in that room. He woke up alone. I remember this so clearly—he was panicking because he couldn't find her, _and_ she borrowed his shirt. When he finally found her…she was in the arms of another guy."

Kirara winced in sympathy. Akemi took a deep breath and continued her tale, "My brother ran to the pistol range. You've seen the scar tissue on his hands, right? That's how he got it. He was firing both guns blindly for over an hour…there was blood everywhere when Tessai and I finally caught up to him. He was almost crippled for life."

Kirara gasped in shock as Akemi continued, "Nobody's seen her since. There were rumors a few years ago that she died; others say that she went overseas. And she never did return that shirt…not that I think my brother would _want_ it back."

"So…is that what caused him to be the way he was when I first met him?"

"It helped. You see, it was only after that day that my brother started to grow his hair out and wear makeup…I just hope she doesn't show up here--my oniichan may not be able to face seeing her again."

The other girl's eyes widened. "What can I do to help?"

Akemi shrugged. "What you've been doing. Stay with him. Support him. The best thing you can do for him is give him moral support—and maybe remind him that his prize money is the only way we'll be able to pay all our expenses while we're here."

* * *

Komachi yawned hugely, mumbling, "How long is this gonna take?" Seeking to reassure her, Akemi leaned across Kirara to whisper, "Don't worry. This old guy gives the same commencement address every single year. For people in the handgun division, it's sometimes the only chance they get to relax, because the 10 to 15 year-olds have to compete in five minutes." Indeed, Kirara spotted several people in various attitudes of repose. Next to her, Ukyo was dozing with his head touching his chest.

Finally, the old man wound up his speech. "And, in conclusion, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 25th annual Kanritsu Shageki Taikai! Let the tournament begin!"

Those who were still awake cheered loudly; Ukyo woke up with a start. "Huh? Izzit over?" Kirara giggled at the sight of him rubbing his eyes like a little kid.

Blinking, they made their way out from the dark insides of the main stadium, shielding their eyes against the setting sun. Ukyo yawned. "I'm going to go back to the motel room and get our stuff for the competition. Akemi, Kirara-kun, will you and Komachi wait here? I might never find this place again otherwise." As he walked off towards their motel, he heard Akemi call after him, "Hurry up! We have to watch Tatsumi-chan compete!"

When he exited the motel room with Akemi's holsters and ammunition, there was a woman waiting for him. She had long black hair and was wearing an oversized button-down shirt with blue stripes. Her lips were stained dark purplish-red with lipstick. Over her shoulder, she carried an old-fashioned shotgun. Ukyo's eyes widened with shock.

"Dokumi-san…"

The woman smiled. It was not a nice smile. "Ukyo-kun! Why, I haven't seen you in years. Tell me, how have you been?"

He glared at her, unconsciously taking a step back. "What are you doing here? And why the hell are you still wearing my shirt?"

"Oh, call it a…trophy, if you want. And as for what I'm doing here…" Her voice took on a sugary sweetness as she leaned closer to him, backing him up against the wall. "I only want to help you, dear. For example, one of your opponents—Kazuo Morita—did you know why he's competing? To raise money for his daughter's throat surgery. That pretty little girl with the pink hair has a cancer that will kill her if not treated. Knowing that…will you still be able to compete?" When he didn't respond, she leaned closer, lips a scant few centimeters from his own.

"Of course! Now, let me go." He shoved her away from him, storming down the hall. She smiled as she watched him walk away. "Silly Ukyo…thinking you can escape me."

* * *

Akemi cheered as the first round of the handgun division—those under 15—took their positions at the range. "Hey, Tatsu-chan! Ganbarre!" Next to her, Tatsumi's brothers yelled insults at the other shooters, until their mother whacked them with a newspaper. Ukyo slid into a seat on Akemi's other side, handing her the thigh holsters. "Here you go. Where's Kirara-kun?"

She shifted in her seat in order to strap on her guns. "She's a few rows back—too nice to shove her way over to the good seats. So what happened? Why'd you show up so late?"

Ukyo gulped. _Can't tell her that Dokumi is here…if they fight, who knows what might happen? Dokumi will do anything to win. _"Oh, um…I got lost. Sorry."

"Geez, you have no sense of direction. Oooh, look!" The contestants had begun firing, and the judges were watching intently. After ten shots, they stopped, and the targets were brought to the judges for inspection. The crowd watched in eerie silence as one judge, an old man, announced, "The winner of the children's handgun division, with 9 out of 10 shots in the red zone, is…Tatsumi Amami from Machida!" **(5.)**

Tatsumi's mother clapped fiercely, while her brothers yelled triumphantly. Akemi added her own whoops to the cacophony. Once the noise died down, the judge continued. "While we set up the new targets, all those competing in the next division should report down to the range." Akemi grinned. "That's me!" She stood up, elbowed Tatsuya Amami out of her way, and scrambled down the aisles to the range. The judge called out their names as they arrived.

"Tatsuya Amami from Machida, Tatsuro Amami from Machida, Akemi Sadomura from Kanna, Mina Koizumi from Kakogawa, Seiji Komamura from Sasebo, Akira Matsumoto from Kurosawa, Min-ha Yun from Hirakata, Rei Kusakabe from Hachinohe, and Toshiro Shiba from Chigasaki, take your places at the range."

Akemi smirked at the spiky-haired boy next to her. "Ready to lose, Seiji-kun?" He snorted, pulling out a black-handled revolver. "I don't lose to _girls_."

"That's what you think." Calmly, she hefted Taiyokousen, slipping her shooting glasses on. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tatsumi's brothers doing the same. The referee gave the order, and she fired the ten shots that were allowed to her.

When the targets, which were set up on pulleys, were winched back to the range and collected, the judges held them up to the light. "The winner of the junior's handgun division, with 10 out of 10 shots in the red zone, is…Akemi Sadomura from Kanna!"

Seiji grumbled under his breath. On Akemi's other side, Tatsuro cursed. Akemi herself beamed hugely as cheering erupted from the bleachers—mainly, she noticed, from the directions of Ukyo and Komachi. As she walked back to her spot in the stands, with the spotlight illuminating her brightly, she caught her brother's eye. _Good luck, oniichan._

Slowly, Ukyo made his way down to the range, hoping that Kirara was watching. On the ground floor of the arena, he found himself next to Kazuo, who was wearing a determined expression. He leaned closer to Ukyo, muttering, "Hey, kid…I need to win this. You don't understand…my daughter will die if I don't."

Ukyo shook his head, taking his stance and drawing Hikoboshi. "I'm sorry…but I'm not going to throw the match. If you need to win so much, then you'll win. Besides, you can use the money from the shotgun competition, can't you?"

Kazuo glared at him. "What do you know? You have _nothing_ to protect!"

_Yes. I do._ Gazing steadily at his target and focusing his chi, he fired.

* * *

Author's Notes

1. This is a play on kanji. Kirara's name in kanji can be read "unmo" which literally means "cloud mother." Her gun is Unkai, which means "sea of clouds." The real-life equivalent of her gun would be a modified Ruger GP-100.

2. The ID cards function a bit like credit cards. Everything a contestant buys (food, ammunition, shelter, souvenirs) is put on their card. At the end of the tournament, the cost is added up, and they have to pay. Only contestants and people licensed to sell things within the tournament (like Ryugujo, which is allowed to advertise for students) can get ID cards. Non-contestants have to pay right away when they buy things. Most stuff is cheap, though.

3. A reference to the official S7 novels, in which Ukyo was a male prostitute and a pimp. Ayamaro was his client, and eventually adopted him as his son. (You can all go throw up now. Don't worry, I'll wait…Okay, are you done yet? Back to the Author's Notes.) I don't really accept the novels as canon, because a) they differ in details between the novels and anime, and b) I don't know anyone who's read them first-hand; usually a friend of a friend found the translations online.

4. Even this woman's name gives you a warning of her real personality. "Dokumi" means "poison tasting" or "poison beauty", and "Yamakagashi" is a type of poisonous snake. Her shotgun is named "Moudoku" which means "fierce poison."

5. Targets are circular and in three colors. Black is the outermost ring, then yellow, and then red. For the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, only shots in the red zone are counted. As shooters advance in age, the red zone becomes smaller and smaller—the red zone for the Standard division is only 10 centimeters wide. At 200 yards, this is really, really hard to hit.

In case you're wondering, winners don't get their prizes until the last day. The reason for this is simple—the tournament depends on people spending money on food, ammunition, and shelter for the duration of their stay. Not to mention, the longer the Amami family stays there, the more chance they have of attracting more paying students.

Next Chapter

The Kanritsu Shageki Taikai continues, but Day 2 is the heavy artillery division, so Kirara and the group have some chance to relax. Their day is ruined, however, when Dokumi shows up with a message for Kirara! After hearing a strange rumor about Ukyo, can Kirara still trust him? Or will she be the second one to dump him at the nationals?


	13. Break!

Ukyo laughed, passing the last remains of a bowl of rice to Kirara. "Did you see me? Did you see the look on Kazuo-san's _face_? He was so shocked!" Kirara smiled politely, nodding in agreement. "Yes, Ukyo-san, I was watching. I saw you. You were very skilled." _Now, please, stop talking about it._

Akemi grinned lazily at Tatsuro and watched him turn red. "Bet you didn't think you'd lose to your mom's student, huh?" He glared at her. "Shut up. Go pick on Tatsuya-kun—didn't he lose too?"

"Oh, right…"

Tatsuko and her children had invited Ukyo, Akemi, Kirara and Komachi to dinner after Ukyo's victory. Currently, they were sitting on cheap folding chairs outside Liu's Noodle Emporium, next to the Ryugujo stall. Though cheap and nutritious, the food wasn't very good, and Tatsuko nearly choked in her attempt to swallow a mouthful of chicken. Wheezing, she interjected, "Kids, stop picking on each other. Ukyo-kun, Akemi-san, stop gloating. We all saw you win."

Tatsumi smiled as her mother ruffled her hair, adding, "Look at Tatsu-chan. She won, and you don't see her bragging." Seeking to change the subject, Akemi asked, "Amami-sensei, how've your students been doing?" Tatsuko's face lit up. "Well, let's see…we've got about a dozen kids over there now, boys and girls. And they've been learning fast, too. I'll be sure to tell them about how you won—maybe give them something to aspire to. Toshiki-sama's been a big help."

With a sidelong glance and a grin at Kirara, Akemi asked, "Did you have him hauling firewood, then?" Kirara turned red; Tatsuko made a choking noise, and Tatsumi smirked. Komachi took advantage of her sister's distraction to feed the remainder of her sukiyaki to the Amami's dog, a giant black Labrador.

Catching sight of this, Ukyo grinned. His eyes widened as he caught sight of his watch. "Oh, wow…it's true what they say about time flying when you're having fun. It's nearly midnight already!"

The Amami children let out a collective groan as their mother fixed them with a stern glare. "You heard Ukyo-kun. Time to go back to the hotel." Ukyo stood up, shoving his chair out. Carefully, he helped Kirara out of her chair, and she smiled at him. Akemi rolled her eyes, elbowing Ukyo in the ribs. "Go get some sleep, loverboy."

* * *

Ukyo sighed, pushing the door to his room open. "Good night, Kirara-kun."

She reached out and grabbed his sleeve, drawing him back towards her. He looked at her curiously as she said, "Ukyo…I really am very proud of you for winning, you know." Blushing furiously, she pulled him closer and kissed him. Ukyo wrapped his arms around her waist as she rested her hands on his shoulders, pushing him against the doorframe.

When they broke apart, Ukyo was staring at her with a glazed expression on his face. Twining a few strands of her hair around his fingers, he murmured, "Kirara-kun…you know, Akemi can still sleep in the other room with Komachi, if you want." She turned red, but was spared from having to reply by Akemi, who chose that moment to walk up behind Ukyo and smack him in the back of the head.

"Oniichan. Go to sleep. Now."

Grumbling, he turned to go into his room, giving Kirara a last kiss. "Sweet dreams, my darling."

Later that night, Kirara tossed and turned on her bed, listening to Komachi's snoring in the bed next to her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to find a comfortable sleeping position. Finally, she sprawled herself on her stomach with a sigh, burying her face in the pillow.

_This isn't fair. Ukyo…_ She shivered, thinking of the way she had kissed him, and his enthusiastic response. _I shouldn't have done that. I know that. If I go any further with him…_ She felt her face heating up at the thought, and groaned out loud. Komachi stirred, and she froze, nerves on edge, until her little sister quieted down.

Kirara rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling. _If…if I wasn't the water priestess…would I give myself to him?_

* * *

Late the next morning, Kirara sat down on a folding chair outside a fruit stall, clutching her program. Because the rifle division was tomorrow, Ukyo had run off to the rifle range to practice. Kazuo had gone shopping with his daughter, and in a gesture of goodwill, offered to take Komachi with him. Akemi had offered to show Kirara around, but had wandered off in search of a guy she had met at the tournament last night, leaving her by herself. Kirara glanced nervously around her.

_Maybe I should have gone with Komachi…it's a little creepy being here by myself._ Nearly everyone she saw over the age of ten was carrying some kind of gun. She pulled her revolver out of the holster, running her fingers over the engravings. Inspecting the barrel, she realized it needed to be cleaned again. Luckily, all the important components of a gun cleaning kit were fitted into loops on the gun belt, and she soon became engrossed in her task, only looking up when a voice sounded close by.

"Wow, nice gun. Where'd you get it?"

Kirara jumped in surprise as a young woman sat down in the chair opposite her. Once she regained her composure, she replied, "From a friend." The other woman smiled, seemingly unaware of Kirara's scrutiny. She had long black hair, violet eyes, and two small rings in her left eyebrow. Her shirt was unbuttoned to show substantial cleavage, and it gaped open further as she leaned back in her chair, pulling out a cigarette lighter.

"You've got friends with good taste in guns, then. What are your names?" At Kirara's blank look, she elaborated. "Yours and the gun, I mean."

"Kirara. The revolver is Unkai."

"That's a nice name." The woman smiled coldly, and Kirara shuddered. "I'm Dokumi, and my shotgun is called Moudoku."

Kirara's eyes widened in shock. _Dokumi? Then she's…_ Seeing that Kirara recognized her name, Dokumi smirked, leaning closer and whispering, "You know…your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend? How is Ukyo-kun, by the way?"

Kirara flinched, unconsciously tightening her grip on Unkai. "Why are you here? Akemi-san told me you disappeared." Dokumi lit a cigarette, blowing out a plume of smoke. "Hmmph, nobody's happy to see me anymore. I only want to _help_, Kirara-chan. There's something very important I have to tell you about your beloved Ukyo."

The mikumari watched her curiously. _Can she be trusted? Oh, I wish I hadn't given the water crystal to Komachi…I could tell if she's lying or not._ Out loud, she asked, "Well? What is it?"

Dokumi's whole persona changed; she gulped and trembled, avoiding Kirara's eyes. In a voice barely above a whisper, she replied, "I've never…told anyone this before. But…when I went here with him…he tried to force himself on me. If I hadn't fought him off, he would have…oh, god!" She covered her face with her hands, shoulders shaking.

Kirara watched, trying to keep a straight face. _I don't even need the water crystal._ "Are you done yet?" Dokumi's head snapped up; her face was devoid of tears. "How can you say that?! I just told you that your boyfriend once tried to rape me, and you just sit there?"

Kirara glared at her. "Of course I'm just sitting here. You're _lying_." While Dokumi spluttered indignantly, Kirara continued. "Ukyo-san would never do something like that. **(1.)** Because if he had, he wouldn't be here. Akemi-san would have killed him. His very existence is proof of your lies."

Dokumi growled in fury, nearly toppling her chair as she stood up. "You're pathetic—a little blind doll who only sees what you want to see. Just wait. One day you'll understand." She stormed off, leaving Kirara sitting by herself.

Kirara sighed, laying her head on the table. _She had to be lying. Why would she say that? She must know I would never believe her. But still…_ She remembered the very first time Ukyo had met her, how she had nearly been kidnapped, and shook her head as if to rid such thoughts from her mind. _I have to believe that Ukyo would never do such a thing._

* * *

Dokumi loitered by the entrance of the heavy artillery stadium as the competition ended. Unlike the other two, this one was built of specially reinforced steel and concrete to withstand attacks from even the most powerful guns. However, because the structure was not meant to be permanent, there were noticeable gaps. A large crowd of people exited, and she scanned the crowd for one particular face. _Where is she?_ Finally, she spotted the woman she was looking for, and jumped up and down, waving frantically. "Madoka! Madoka Fuma, over here!"

A woman in her early twenties separated herself from the pack. Like many of the Houshou who had been competing, she was dressed in black and dark green clothes; unlike them, half her face was hidden by a mask in the likeness of a turtle. When she took it off, she revealed a pleasant, dark-skinned face with wide green eyes. There was a large submachine gun strapped to her back.

"Dokumi-san? I haven't seen you in years, how have you been?"

The other woman smiled. "Fine, fine. Did you win the tournament, o master of Kurokame?" **(2.)** Madoka grinned widely. "You shoulda seen the looks on their faces. I think most of them owe me money now. Did you need my help with something?" Dokumi pulled her closer. "Yeah, I do. Listen up, okay? I want you to go to the rifle range. Tell the guy there that Rangemistress Takara wants to speak to him right away. It's an emergency."

Madoka blinked. "Um…okay…and why should I do thi—hey!" Dokumi shoved her in the direction of the rifle range, snapping, "Go! Emergency! Move it!" Madoka hurried off, grumbling under her breath.

Because of the nature of most long-range guns, the rifle and shotgun arena was the largest one. Since it was still early, Ukyo was the only one there.

"Umm…'scuse me?"

He turned around to see Madoka standing there, looking frazzled. "Rangemistress Takara wants to talk to you." Ukyo sighed and strolled over to the counter, leaving Benzaiten on the range. Figuring it was none of her business, Madoka left.

Dokumi crept over to the range, having trailed the oblivious Madoka to the spot. As Ukyo chatted with the range mistress, she grabbed the rifle he had left behind. _You're so scatter-brained, Ukyo._ She wouldn't have much time before Ukyo realized that someone had set him up, so she sat on an upturned packing crate to fiddle with the gun, pulling a screwdriver from her belt. A man wearing a nametag approached her.

"Excuse me, miss?" She didn't bother to look up as she shoved her ID card in front of his face. He blinked, reading the information presented to him. "Okay…sorry to bother you, miss." **(3.)**

Left alone at last, Dokumi expertly dismantled key sections of the gun. _Let's see Ukyo try to win that tournament now. _Her objective complete, she set the gun back where Ukyo had left it, discarded the evidence that it had been tampered with, and melted back into the shadows. She was not a second too soon, as Ukyo walked back to his spot and took up the gun again.

Lifting it to his shoulder, he began firing. Unbeknownst to him, each successive shot was steadily damaging Benzaiten's key components. Permanently.

* * *

Later that day, Kirara wandered back to her motel room, bored. She hadn't seen anything she liked in the stalls, not that it would have mattered anyway—most of the money was with Akemi and Ukyo. As she sat down on the edge of her bed, Komachi ran into the room, carrying a box labeled "_XR-07 Transistor Radio: This end up_."

"Oneesama, look! Look what I got to bring home!"

Kirara blanched. "Where did you get--?" Komachi grinned. "Akemi-neesan met up with us and gave me some money--then the guys selling this stuff gave us a discount once she introduced herself to them!" Kirara smiled. "Did you say thank you?" Her sister nodded furiously.

Akemi stormed in and threw herself down on the bed next to Kirara with a frustrated groan. Kirara looked at her sympathetically. "Couldn't find him?"

"Worse. I found him…and he was with his fiancée." She rolled over, burying her face in the mattress. "Why does this always happen to me?! Every good-looking guy I see is off-limits." Kirara patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it." Akemi propped herself up on her elbows, deciding to change the subject. "Where's my oniichan? Have you seen him yet?"

Kirara nodded. "He went to get something to drink from the vending machine. He should be back soon." As if on cue, Ukyo leaned against the doorframe, sipping a can of orange soda. Akemi sat up, asking, "How was practice? You remembered to eat, right?"

Ukyo finished his soda and dropped it into the wastebasket with a sigh. "…I ate, don't worry. I'm just really tired. How about you all go find dinner? I need a nap." Kirara left the bed and went to him. "You don't look fine. Is there something bothering you?" He shook his head.

"I'm going to bed. Good night."

As the door to his room opened and closed with a slam, Akemi and Kirara stared at each other. Akemi was the first to break the silence. "Something's wrong. Let's go check on him."

With no further discussion, she strode across the hall to the other room, yanking the door open; Kirara and Komachi followed on her heels. Ukyo was sitting on his bed, his partially disassembled rifle in his lap. He flinched as Komachi poked him in the shoulder. "What's the matter, Ukyo-niisan?"

Ukyo looked up with the most wretched expression Kirara had ever seen in her life. It seemed to be made of equal parts depression and worry, overlaid with a healthy dose of wide-eyed panic. Dully, he replied, "Benzaiten's broken."

For several seconds, they stared at him in shock. Then his words sank in, and Akemi snapped, voice rising with every word, "_Broken_? What do you mean, broken? You have to win the rifle tournament with that thing! Otherwise we won't be able to pay for the _rooms_ or the _food_ or _the transistor radio I just bought!_" Her panic spent, she started to pace back and forth across the room, grumbling furiously under her breath.

Calmly, Kirara asked, "How did this happen?" Ukyo buried his face in his hands, muffling his words. "I was practicing for most of the day. The only time I left my gun was when some woman ran up to me and told me Rangemistress Takara wanted to talk to me."

"And did she?"

"Surprisingly, yes—but then again, she almost never shuts up, so that doesn't help. When I returned to my spot on the range, my rifle was right where I left it, and it still worked! But then…it started to jam. Then I heard this strange grinding noise, and it just stopped firing and I don't know why!" Kirara sat down next to him. "I'm sure there must be somebody who can fix it."

Akemi suddenly froze, eyes widening. "Guys! Guys, I have an idea." Ukyo perked up. Excitedly, his sister continued. "Okay, listen. Kirara-chan, do you remember Masamune, that old swordsmith in Kougakyo?" Kirara nodded. "Well, there's a guy like that for us Houshou. His name is Muramasa Sengo, and he's a legendary gunsmith. I'm sure he'll help us."

Ukyo was skeptical. "And how, exactly, do you propose we secure his help? He's supposed to be completely bloodthirsty and insane, you know. And it's not like we have a lot of money right now." Akemi grinned. "Don't worry, oniichan. A friend of mine told me where to find him. _And_ I've got a plan."

"…Why am I not reassured by this?"

* * *

That night, the quartet made their way through the ground-level streets of Kougakyo. Ukyo glanced around nervously, and Akemi elbowed her brother in the ribs. "Scared of the dark, oniichan?" He gave her a dirty look. "This was your idea. I hope you know what you're doing." She shrugged, peering through the gloom as they rounded a corner.

Muramasa's shop proved to be a dingy hole in the wall—a far cry from what Ukyo had expected of a legendary gunsmith. Akemi rapped on the door. "Excuse me?" There was no reply. "EXCUSE ME!" Frightened by the noise, a flock of birds took off from the roofs of nearby houses…but the door did not open. With a snarl, she motioned for Kirara and the others to stand back. Pulling out both Taiyokousen and Tsukikage, she fired at the doorframe.

Finally, the door was opened by an old man. A _very_ old man, stooped and wrinkled and dressed in black. He croaked, "Whaddaya want at this hour of the night?" Akemi gulped, shoving Ukyo forwards. He bowed deeply, holding out Benzaiten to the man.

"My name is Matsubayashi Ukyo. I'm competing in the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai rifle division tomorrow…and my gun just broke. I had heard that Sengo Muramasa, the famous gunsmith, was living in the area and was wondering if perhaps I might be able to request his aid."

The man studied his face. _Matsubayashi…Ukyo? Then I guess the rumor was true. The Amanushi did survive. There are those who would pay handsomely for this information…but I'm not one to get involved in politics._ Surprisingly, he bowed in return. "I am Muramasa. Please, come inside—it isn't every day I get to host such illustrious company."

As they entered Muramasa's workshop, Komachi sneezed. The acrid smells of gun solvent, smoke, and steel hung heavy in the air. Half-finished guns and parts lay scattered on the floor. A dented and scratched wooden table was placed squarely in the middle of the room, and Muramasa motioned for them to sit. Once they were reasonably comfortable, he spoke.

"That gun…Benzaiten, correct? The rifle prize in the Standard division three years ago?" Ukyo nodded. Muramasa took it from him and inspected it curiously, unscrewing the case protecting the moving parts of the gun. "And there were no problems before today. Hmm…whoever sabotaged this did a good job. The screws are loosened, and some internal parts are heavily damaged."

"Can it be fixed?"

Muramasa smiled. "Yes…but not permanently. No matter what I do, it will fall apart after the next ten shots. Luckily for you, you only have to fire ten shots in the rifle competition. **(4.)** You, girl!" He motioned towards Akemi, who bristled at being addressed in such a way. Muramasa ignored her reaction. "Those guns…Taiyokousen and Tsukikage, right? Then you must be Akemi Sadomura. Tell me, Akemi-sama, since you were so bold as to wake me up by shooting at my front door, what would you be willing to give in exchange for my aid?"

Akemi gulped. She hadn't thought that far ahead. "Umm…what would you accept?" _Please don't say a lot of money, please don't say a lot of money, I can barely afford to pay for motel rooms right now never mind gun repairs…_ His request took her by surprise.

"You won the Junior handgun competition. Your prize is the handgun Akehime—a gun _I_ created. I want it back." Akemi blinked. _That's it?_ "Okay, sure. When can we pick up Benzaiten?"

Muramasa turned to Ukyo again, who had been glancing around the room with interest, eyeing a recently completed revolver. "Ukyo-sama, your gun will be ready by 9:30 tomorrow morning. Don't be late."

* * *

They made their way back to the motel quietly, to avoid waking up their neighbors. Komachi went to sleep almost immediately, while Akemi disappeared into her room with the instruction manual for her new radio, determined to find out how it worked. Apparently, the Shikimoribito had developed smaller and more powerful batteries made out of organic materials instead of harsh chemicals.

Ukyo and Kirara, meanwhile, stood in the hallway. Ukyo pointedly avoided eye contact. "Kirara-kun…there's something I have to tell you. I—there's this psychotic girl that—oh, never mind!" Kirara smiled sadly. "Dokumi."

Ukyo choked. "How did you—no, wait. Akemi told you."

"Yes. I don't understand why you're so afraid of her—although she is a bit scary." Kirara shivered at the recollection. Ukyo stared at her. "You _met_ her? Did she threaten you? What did she say?"

The mikumari shook her head. "Nothing important." As Ukyo laid a hand on her shoulder, she broke away, opening the door to her room. "Good night, Ukyo-san." He stared after her as the door shut and locked.

* * *

Author's Notes

1. I've noticed that the vast majority of fics that have Ukyo in them mention him as basically pure evil—exactly the kind of person Dokumi paints him as. I even saw one fic that had Ukyo kidnap and attempt to rape Kirara as a plot device so she could be saved by Katsushiro. Personally, I have a hard time believing Ukyo would do such a thing, even canon-Ukyo. What would be the point, when he has an entire harem at his beck and call?

2. There are four main schools of Houtedo—Ryugujo (aka Dragon Palace, in the east), Shiratora (White Tiger, in the west), Fushichou (Phoenix, in the south) and Kurokame (Black Tortoise, in the north). Each school has its own colors which, like their name and locations, correspond to the Chinese Four Directions: the symbol for "north" in Chinese astrology is a tortoise, and the color is black. Further information, and a handy chart, can be found at my livejournal.

3. For a tournament wherein all the participants are usually heavily armed and highly skilled, the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai is infamous for being rather lax in security. Normally, unless you're engaged in blatant criminal activity, producing a legitimate ID card will placate security officers. There is no alcohol served, for obvious reasons.

4. During the rifle competition, ten targets for every space on the range are placed at various intervals and heights in a more or less straight line. The objective is to strike a bulls-eye with each target. However, each target is progressively smaller than the one before.

On a side note, the gun "Akehime" is a play on words. "_Hime_" means "princess" (which Akemi is, in a way—daughter of the Kougakyo magistrate and sister to the former Amanushi), but "_ake_" can mean "bright" (as in Akemi's name), "scarlet" (another Akemi reference—this time, to her favorite headband, which also happens to match her top), or "bloody" (referring to her fighting style).

On (yet another) side note, the monetary prizes are not the same for each division. The shotgun prize is the highest, followed by the rifles, the handguns, and finally the heavy artillery. This is because rifles and shotguns are the oldest and most "traditional" types of guns, and therefore are worth the most money.

Next Chapter

With the repairs on Benzaiten finished, Ukyo competes in the rifle division! Will he win, or will Dokumi's sabotage affect his performance? Win or lose, the shotgun competition takes place the next day—and Dokumi is competing against Kazuo! Can he defeat her, or is his daughter Yuzu doomed? But Dokumi never plays fair… The Kanritsu Shageki Taikai is sure to end with a bang!


	14. Win!

On the third morning of the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, Ukyo walked into Kougakyo, making his way to Sengo Muramasa's gun shop. The old man was waiting for him, a pot of coffee in hand.

Ukyo staggered into the shop, blinking in the dim, smoky air. "Muramasa-sama…you said the Benzaiten would be ready?" Muramasa smiled thinly, pouring a cup of coffee for himself and a large mug for Ukyo, who looked as though he hadn't slept all night.

"It is. However, Ukyo-sama…there is something very important I must discuss with you. Drink this, first." He motioned to the mug in front of him, which Ukyo drained in a single gulp. Newly awake and caffeinated, he blinked and asked, "Yes?"

Muramasa sighed. "You haven't really thought about what your winning might mean, have you?"

Ukyo shrugged, and the elderly gunsmith groaned. "Listen to me. It's been almost a year since the new Amanushi—your cousin--took the throne. He is a good and fair man, and a capable ruler. However…he faces a potential rebellion from a separatist group seeking to put an Amanushi clone in his place. Currently, they are scouring the country for a suitable heir."

Ukyo blinked. _Wait…the only Amanushi clones left are me and Kyoichi-kun. But the capital doesn't know about Kyoichi-kun, so that leaves…_ "Me. You're saying I could be in danger if I win the tournament?"

Muramasa nodded. "The winners of the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai are listed in all the newspapers. They will find you, and they will stop at nothing to force you to aid them…including harming those close to you. Are you sure you still want to compete?"

Ukyo stared into the bottom of his empty mug. _If I win, Kirara or the whole village of Kanna might be in danger. But if I lose…Dokumi will have won. I can't let that happen._ "I have to compete. I owe it to myself."

Muramasa sighed. _Young people are so single-minded…I can't believe I was ever like that. _He stood up, crossing the room to a table scattered with small guns and one large gun—Benzaiten. Single-handed, he picked it up and tossed it to Ukyo, who caught it automatically. "Here. Go win that tournament—it will reflect badly on both of us if you lose. Oh, and your sister still needs to give me that gun."

* * *

As the teenagers filed off the area floor, Akemi elbowed Kirara in the ribs, motioning to the grownups as they made their way down. "Look—both rifle schools are represented! This is gonna be so cool." At Kirara's blank look, she clarified. "There are two rifle schools in Houtedo—Shiratora and Nakuryuu. And they _hate_ each other. **(1.)** That woman with the black and white stripes on her sleeves is from Shiratora—see her? She's standing next to my brother. The old man dressed like a Buddhist monk was my brother's sensei from Nakuryuu."

_  
Ukyo's sensei? Hmm…that could be tough for him to beat._ Kirara squinted to get a better look at him. He had dark brown skin and the shaved head and austere robes of a monk. Kirara shifted her gaze to Ukyo. _Ukyo…please win. Show Dokumi that you can't be beaten. I believe in you._

The judge snapped, "Begin!" The air was filled with the sound of gunshots echoing in the stadium. Ukyo steadied his breathing, closing one eye in order to line up the sights. _Still...I have to be very, very still…Now! _He fired his ten shots. The woman from Shiratora sneered at him. "You took too long. There's no way you'll win." Ukyo gave her a polite, meaningless smile as the targets were brought back to the range and inspected by the judges.

"The winner of the rifle competition, standard division, is…Ukyo Sadomura!"

Ukyo bowed, a mocking grin on his face. Next to him, the woman cursed. As Akemi cheered and clapped her hands wildly, Kirara smiled, meeting Ukyo's eyes.

As Kirara left the arena, a woman with a nametag asked, "Excuse me?" She blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Are you Kirara?"

She nodded. The woman continued. "My name is Takara Ueda. I'm the range mistress here. Your boyfriend mentioned you yesterday, and I wanted to let you know that yesterday afternoon, I saw a woman loitering around Ukyo-sama's rifle."

Kirara's eyes widened. _Dokumi. It has to be her._ "Did you get her name?"

"Yes…I think. Hang on." Takara flipped through the papers on the clipboard she carried. "Let's see, let's see…ah! Her name was Dokumi Yamakagashi. She's registered to compete in the shotgun tournament, standard division."

The young mikumari bowed politely. "Thank you." She hurried to catch up with the others, deep in thought.

Akemi, who hadn't heard Kirara's conversation with Takara, was surprised when Kirara grabbed her arm. "Tell Ukyo I'm going to look for a place for us to eat dinner tonight, okay?"

"Why don't you tell him yourself? He's right over—Oh." Akemi had caught sight of her brother, surrounded by people he knew and attempting to carry on conversations with all of them at once. "I'll tell him when he's done talking."

* * *

When Ukyo returned to the motel (after selling his broken rifle to a collector), Kazuo was waiting outside, holding his shotgun. He gave Ukyo a pleading look. "Is the range empty?"

"Yes, but—"

"Excellent. I need to practice; can you watch my daughter?"

Ukyo blinked. _He just asked me to baby-sit an eight-year-old. How can I get out of this?_ "Um…I'd like to, but…" Komachi interrupted. "That would be great!" Ukyo turned to his sister, who shrugged. "Sorry. I'm going to the pistol range for a bit. Have fun."

As Kazuo strode off, Ukyo clapped a hand to his forehead and groaned. _I hate kids. Well, not Komachi-chan—but she's my future sister-in-law, so it doesn't really count. Where the hell is Kirara when I need her?_

* * *

Kirara made her way down a side street, glancing around nervously. _I can't believe I forgot the program. Now I'm lost and I don't have any way to contact Ukyo…How long have I been walking? Hours? I hope Komachi is alright… _A clicking noise from behind caught her attention, and she turned around slowly.

Dokumi walked out from between two stalls, smirking. "Hey, Kirara-chan! What are you doing here? You're not lost, are you? Or…wait, I know. Did Ukyo-chan ditch you? So sad…"

Kirara glared, reaching for her gun. "He didn't ditch me. I told him I was going to find somewhere for us to eat tonight, and I got lost. Now, if you would be so kind as to tell me how to get to the main stadium?"

The older woman drew closer. "Hmm…I think not. Tell me, does Ukyo-chan still love you? Or do you just think he does? You can't really expect to keep his interest without giving up something in return…" Kirara snorted derisively and turned to leave, but was stopped as Dokumi spoke again.

"How did the rifle tournament go? Ukyo-chan couldn't have won, could he?"

Kirara gasped. Spinning around, she drew her gun and leveled it at Dokumi. "You! _You_ were the one who sabotaged Benzaiten!"

Dokumi shrugged. "Of course. Such a shame he didn't try to use his ki…that would have been fun to watch." **(2.)** Kirara's finger tightened on the trigger, and Dokumi's smile grew. Unnoticed by Kirara, she pulled out a small derringer. "Oh, are you going to shoot me, then? You couldn't hit a barn if you were standing in it."

A shot rang out, and Kirara screamed in pain. Dokumi holstered her gun and calmly walked away.

A short distance away, Akemi and Kazuo stared at each other. Kazuo asked, "Was that Kirara-san?" Akemi had gone pale. "Yeah. Let's go." They found her a thousand yards away in a small alley. She was clutching her left hand, which was bleeding. Her gun lay nearby, shattered.

"Kirara-chan! What happened here?"

She winced, leaning on Akemi as the other girl inspected her hand. Her fingers were bleeding, but there was no bullet wound. "Dokumi…she confronted me." Akemi made a shocked choking noise as she continued, "I was so angry…I had my gun out, but before I could fire…she fired first. Akemi-san, she broke Unkai! Look at it—it's shattered. What should we do?"

Akemi blinked, looking hopefully at Kazuo and mouthing, 'She's not seriously asking me for help, is she?' Kazuo looked baffled, and she sighed, turning back to Kirara. "Can you move your fingers?" Kirara shook her head.

Akemi heaved a dramatic sigh, helping Kirara to her feet. "Okay. Let's head back to the motel—here, lean on me. We'll have to get Komachi to heal you. Kazuo-san, can you get what's left of Kirara-san's revolver?"

He scraped the pieces off the ground, careful of the sharp edges. "Who's this Dokumi person, what the hell is going on, and why did she attack Kirara-san?"

"My brother's evil ex-girlfriend, it's a long story, and she's _insane_."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ukyo was organizing the canvas bag he had brought with him. At the very bottom, he came across a tattered folder. Curious, he pulled it out. _'Results of the Imperial Cloning Project'…I remember this! I thought I lost it. Maybe this will help me learn more about that separatist group Muramasa-sama was talking about…If I'm lucky, I won't be their only target._

Komachi leaned over his shoulder. "Whatcha doin', Ukyo-niisan?" He yelped and dropped the folder, scattering papers on the floor. "Don't _do_ that to me! Where's Yuzu-chan?"

Komachi sighed. "Reading. She brought a lot of books with her—most of them are really silly. We can't even explore this place, because every time she tries to run anywhere she winds up coughing a lot. I'm _bored_…When's oneesama coming back?"

Ukyo shrugged. "Soon, I hope." The sound of footsteps caught his attention, just before the door burst open. Kazuo held the door open as Akemi entered, supporting Kirara. Ukyo's eyes widened as he saw the blood on her fingers.

"Kirara-kun! What—you're bleeding! Komachi-chan, get the water crystal." She gestured to her wrist, where she was already wearing it. Ukyo uncapped a water bottle and poured it over Kirara's hand, while Komachi pressed the glowing crystal to her sister's wounds. Although they bled freely, the cuts on her fingers were not Komachi's concern; she was more worried about the nerve and muscle damage in the rest of Kirara's hand. **(3.)** She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she prayed, and the injuries were gone.

"What happened?"

Kirara sighed, wiping her hand off and settling herself on the edge of the bed. "Dokumi happened. She was the one who sabotaged your rifle—she admitted it to me. And she threatened you…she was hoping you'd use your ki to win the competition. She insulted my shooting ability, and she…she shot Unkai out of my hand; look at it!"

Ukyo growled as he inspected the shattered remains of Kirara's revolver. "I can't believe she'd do this…no, wait. I can. If we tell Security, they'll throw her out of the tournament for this, and we won't have to worry about her. Sound like a plan?"

"No."

He turned to look at Kazuo, who was leaning on the doorframe. The man continued. "She's competing in the shotgun tournament; I saw her name on the roster. I want to beat her myself."

Akemi raised an eyebrow. "Okay…but you do know she's not sane, right? And it wouldn't be much of a challenge to beat her. She's only been shooting since she was 17, and you told me you've been using that shotgun since you were a kid. There are better opponents for you to face."

"Yeah, but _this_ one hurt somebody I know. What does she look like?"

Ukyo replied. "Black hair, purple eyes, and a pierced eyebrow. She'll probably try to cheat by tampering with the sights on her gun, so watch out for that, okay?"

Kazuo nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Yuzu and I are going to get dinner now—I hope your hand is better, Kirara-san." With that, he left; they heard the door across the hall open and then close.

Kirara and Ukyo looked at each other. Ukyo started to speak, but paused. "I—no, you first. Tell me what's been happening."

Kirara stared at her hands. "I…ran into Dokumi yesterday. She told me…oh, I know she was lying, but I just can't stop thinking about it! She said…that you had tried to rape her. Ukyo-san, are you alright?" He had gone an odd shade of purple, and was making a strangled choking noise. Finally, he burst out, "I—wha—oh, I'm going to kill her! Kirara-kun, please, in the name of all that's good and holy; please tell me you didn't _believe_ her!"

The mikumari shook her head rapidly. "No! But…like I said, it's a bit hard to put it out of my mind…"

Akemi leaned over and poked her brother in the head. "See? This is because you were such an idiot when you first met her! So what are you gonna do about it?"

Ukyo sighed, burying his head in his hands. "…I have no idea. Kirara, you must know I'd never do that to anyone." Kirara smiled at him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know. I trust you. So, what were you going to say before?"

"Oh, right! Well, when I went to pick up my rifle from Muramasa…" He told them about the separatist group seeking to put an Amanushi replica on the throne. Kirara gasped and Komachi's eyes widened.

"Then you're in danger! Ukyo-niisan, what are we going to do?"

Ukyo shrugged. "According to them, I'm the next Amanushi. I don't really think they'd harm the rightful heir to the throne; do you? Besides, I may not be their only choice. Komachi-chan, can you hand me that folder?" She did so, and he paged through it, explaining, "I was the 49th clone of the emperor. Every one before me died because they couldn't pass the test—except Kyoichi-kun."

Akemi stared at him. _I thought so…they're too similar for it to be otherwise. What a coincidence…I wonder how he escaped._

"Anyway, that's not important. There were more clones after me—younger than me, naturally. A lot of them died—you can see where the experiments were marked unsuccessful. If some of them survived…" He reached the end of the lists, and blinked. "Well…there's one, but he's younger than Katsu-kun, so I don't really think he counts…"

Komachi repeated her question. "What are we going to do?" Her stomach rumbled, and she turned red. Ukyo grinned at her. "Where do you want to go for dinner?"

Akemi piped up, "Anywhere but that noodle place by Amami-sensei's stall—I'm starving! We can talk about this stuff after we eat."

* * *

The next morning, Kazuo was competing in the shotgun tournament. Ukyo, Kirara, Komachi and Akemi showed up for moral support—and to keep an eye on Yuzu, whose condition had worsened. While waiting for the Standard division to start, Kirara flipped through the program. She stopped at a particular page, staring, before nudging Ukyo in the ribs.

"Ukyo-san…take a look at this. It's the prize money for the competition."

Ukyo stared at it for a few seconds, reading it out loud for the benefit of Yuzu, Komachi and Akemi. "Handgun, junior division—120 thousand yen and the handmade gun Akehime. Handgun, standard division—180 thousand and the 7-shot revolver Suigetsu. Rifle, standard division—300 thousand and the 15-shot autoloader rifle Setsugekka. Shotgun, standard division—360 thousand and the bolt-action vierling shotgun Enrai." **(4.)**

Akemi's eyes widened. "Holy crap, we're rich again. Now, what to buy first?" She pulled a pencil and a notepad from her bag, scribbling furiously. "New bridge to Kanna…transport ship-thingy…what machines can we use to help with the rice crop? I'll have to check that with Gisaku…new clothes, a better stove…"

Kirara tapped her on the shoulder. "Before you get carried away, don't forget we still have to pay for the stuff you bought, not to mention the food and the rooms."

Yuzu grabbed her arm and pointed down at the arena. "Look! It's my dad and that mean lady he was telling me about!" Kirara followed the girl's line of sight. Sure enough, the standard division was filing down onto the arena floor. Kazuo was scanning the area as he walked, until his eyes fell on Dokumi. He pulled her aside and spoke to her in a low voice. In response, she laughed cruelly, and Kirara saw him clench his fists in rage.

Ukyo sighed and shifted anxiously in his seat. _I guess now we'll find out if Kazuo has what it takes to win this. I hope he does, for Yuzu's sake. _She started to cough, and Kirara handed her a tissue.

"And…begin!"

The contestants brought their guns to their shoulders and fired. When the smoke cleared, the judge brought the targets back to the range and inspected them, occasionally placing one behind the other for comparison. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "The winner of the shotgun competition, standard division, is…Kazuo Morita!"

Ukyo glared at Dokumi. She looked up, eyes falling on him, and smirked. Although he couldn't hear her words over the crowd, he had no doubt they were full of malice. In return, he shot her a cheery grin. _Let's see you plot to destroy me when you're banned from every gun tournament in the country. You won't even be able to buy ammunition at a hardware store._

As the stadium emptied, Ukyo left his seat and maneuvered through the crowds until he reached a heavyset man wearing the uniform of a security guard. "Excuse me, sir? Ukyo Sadomura, from Kanna. I think there's something you should take a look at." Out of his pocket, he produced the shattered remains of Unkai, which he handed to the guard. "For evidence."

The guard blinked. "Wow, this gun…there's a bullet hole in it. Is that blood on the grip? What happened?" Ukyo nodded. "A friend of mine was injured when this gun was shot out of her hand…by Dokumi Yamakagashi. Do you see her? The woman in the button-down shirt? She's coming this way."

As she passed, the guard reached out and grabbed her wrist. "We'll have to take you in for questioning, miss." She struggled wildly, slapping the guard in the face with her free hand. By this time, Kirara and the others had caught up to Ukyo, and they watched as more security guards arrived to subdue her.

Ukyo caught Kirara's eye and informed her, "Even if they don't find any evidence that Dokumi tried to shoot you, the fact that she's resisting arrest is enough to ban her from the tournament permanently. By the way, they had to take your gun as evidence; sorry about that."

Kirara replied, "It's alright. The gun was totally broken anyway…although I will miss shooting."

* * *

Later that night, the main stadium was once again in use, as the winners received their prizes. This time, it was a different judge—a red-headed woman—who announced the winners. As she said each name, the champion crossed the arena to receive their prizes.

"Handguns, children's--Tatsumi Amami, Ryuuza. Handguns, junior--Akemi Sadomura, Akehime. Handguns--standard: Ukyo Sadomura, Suigetsu." In the stands, Muramasa beamed. Tatsumi and Akemi grinned at each other as they ascended the stage that had been set up. Ukyo studied his gun, turning it over in his hands and noticing the waves engraved on it.

"Rifles, children's—Sora Kindaichi, Amakaze. Rifles, junior's—Yoshiko Hitsugaya, Raihane. Rifles, standard—Ukyo Sadomura, Setsugekka. Heavy artillery…" Ukyo stopped paying attention, inspecting his new rifle. _It's so pretty. And so bright—I bet I could use it for a mirror. _He snapped back to attention when the last name was called.

"Shotguns, standard—Kazuo Morita, Enrai! That concludes this year's Kanritsu Shageki Taikai. Winners, you will receive your prize money on the way out upon presentation of your ID cards, after expenses have been deducted."

Reporters nearly mobbed the stage, and Ukyo instinctively grabbed his sister's arm. "Don't you hate it when this happens?" She yelled back, "Yeah—but I know you don't! Do you see Kirara anywhere?" No sooner did she ask this question than she caught sight of Kirara's red headdress, and waved away the reporters. "Okay, calm down, nothing to write home about, move alo—HEY!" One had moved a little bit too close for comfort. "MOVE IT! Go interview someone else and leave me and my brother alone!" Sensibly, they retreated, leaving Akemi and Ukyo by themselves.

While Akemi went off in search of Muramasa, Ukyo approached Kirara, holding out his new revolver. "Here."

She stared up at him. "But…I can't take this! It's yours; you won it." He pressed it into her hands, bending her fingers around it. "You need to be able to protect yourself, Kirara. Please, take it. It seems to have been made for your hands." She blushed, sliding the gun into her holster before suddenly burying her face in his chest.

"I swear I'll always treasure it, and I'll work hard to master it. You'll never need to rescue me again."

* * *

The next morning, a shabby-looking man burst into a barber shop, ignoring the "Closed" sign on the door and waving the morning paper. "Ikemizu-sama! We've found him!"

The barber looked up from his novel and snapped. "Well, don't just stand there, idiot! Show me the article!" He skimmed the paper, grinning as he saw the picture someone had taken of Ukyo as he received his new rifle.

"Excellent. Good job, Terada. I can finally cease this miserable excuse for an existence and regain my rightful place! I believe our next Amanushi may require some _convincing_, though…"

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Shiratora means "white tiger" and Nakuryuu means "crying dragon." There is a legend that when a dragon and a tiger meet, they will always fight. The rivalry between the two schools stems from the fact that while their colors are similar, their Houtedo styles are radically different. Shiratora focuses on rapid, accurate fire, while Nakuryuu focuses on inner calm—holding the body still until a perfect shot is lined up. Because of this, Nakuryuu masters never miss.

The legend of Nakuryuu (borrowed from a real-world legend about some temple in Japan) goes like this. A grand temple was built, with a dragon painted on the ceiling. When the people went to the temple to pray, the dragon gave a great cry, as though in joy or pain. Later, the temple was abandoned, and Ukyo's sensei founded the Nakuryuu School of Houtedo as a division of the older Ryugujo School.

2. If Ukyo had tried to channel his ki through a gun as badly damaged as Benzaiten, it would have shattered. The correct stance for a rifle involves bringing the stock to your cheek and using both hands to hold it. If it had broken, Ukyo would have been seriously injured or killed, and Kirara was aware of this.

3. Having something shot out of your hand would result in severe damage to your fingers, palm, and wrist. If Komachi had not healed Kirara right away, she would never have been able to use that hand again.

4. A vierling shotgun is a gun with four barrels. Since a bolt-action gun would need to be reloaded after every shot, having four barrels means the shooter can go four times as long without reloading. Enrai means "distant thunder", while Setsugekka (Ukyo's new, shiny rifle) means "snow, moon, and flowers", and Suigetsu means "water moon."

Next Chapter

The gang returns to Kanna, and Sanae's had her baby! (Remember she was pregnant?) But while they celebrate, a new force begins to threaten Kanna-mura and everything Ukyo holds dear…When the riches and power he once gave up are offered to him again, will he accept, and leave Kirara behind? Or will love for her prove stronger? Don't miss the next chapter of Second Chances!


	15. Plot!

Because I am an idiot and forgot I promised to dedicate a fic to Twilit Rose for providing me with Ukyo art, I'm dedicating this chapter of Second Chances to her instead (and also to Jun-I, who is a walking encyclopedia of facts and historical info).

* * *

When they reached the village, they were met by Satoru, who appeared out of breath. "Guys! You won't believe this. Sanae-san had her baby—oh, and Ukyo-san? You owe me 500 yen. It's a girl."

Ukyo groaned while Kirara turned to him and asked. "You _bet_ on this?" She shook her head, smiling.

Satoru turned to Akemi, who was carrying the radio she had bought. "Akemi-san, what is that thing?" She grinned. "This? It's a radio—battery-operated, too. I bought it at the shooting tournament. I wanted to talk to Gisaku-dono about how we should spend the rest of the prize money. Where is he?"

Satoru shrugged. "Home, as usual. So, tell me what happened at the tournament!"

"Oh, it was fun! See…"

* * *

"…And that's how we won the Kanritsu Shageki Taikai and a lot of money. I really wanted to talk to you about that, Gisaku-dono. I have some ideas about how I could help the village."

The elder nodded. "Go on…"

Akemi took a deep breath and continued. "I bought a battery-operated radio; I thought it would be good to be able to pick up broadcasts from the rest of the world. The box and the instruction booklet are by the door. I was thinking that my brother and I could pool our money and go visit the Shikimoribito. The rice crop has been good…It would take less time to get it to market in the city if we had a transport vehicle, you know? And then we could sell it for more money."

Gisaku studied her face. _Hmmm…she's right. It would be easier that way. She is the daughter of a merchant; she could bargain with the Shikimoribito better than any of us_. "Fine."

Akemi giggled and sprang from her seat. "Thanks! I'm going to go find Kirara-chan now and tell her."

When she reached Rikichi's and Sanae's house, she was greeted by the sight of a crowd of villagers, lounging outside the door. As Kirara and Komachi walked out the door, she asked, "Kirara-chan, what's with the crowd?"

"Rikichi's house is kind of small, and they have a two-day-old baby girl. Sanae's only allowing a few people in there at a time."

"Did you see her yet?"

Kirara nodded. "She's cute. She looks a lot like her mother; they haven't decided on a name for her yet. How did your meeting with Gisaku-dono go?"

Akemi looked smug. "It worked. In about a week, you'll have a shiny new transport vehicle, once I convince my oniichan to let me go alone."

As they walked back to their house together, Kirara asked, "Alone? Isn't that dangerous?" Akemi sighed. "I don't have a choice. The Shikimoribito won't allow my brother in, I can't take Rikichi away from his daughter, Katsu-kun and Shino-chan are nearly inseparable, and the village needs you and Komachi here."

Ukyo was sitting on the porch, running his fingers over his new rifle and muttering under his breath about the finish. **(1.)** Akemi reached up and poked him in the ribs. "Hey, oniichan, I have a favor to ask."

He raised an eyebrow. "And what could be so important that my little sister is asking me for a favor?"

Akemi stared off into the distance. "Gisaku told me to go to the Shikimoribito and buy a transport vehicle from them, for the village to use. I'll need your prize money… And I have to go by myself."

Ukyo sighed. "You're being an idiot…but fine. Go take a shower before you go." As Akemi sprinted past him, Kirara turned to him with a confused expression. He explained, "If that had been you, then of course I wouldn't have let you go alone. I stopped worrying about my sister a long time ago."

He smiled at her, adding, "Plus, we haven't had any time to ourselves in a long time, Kirara-kun." She blushed.

* * *

Two days later, Akemi arrived at the Shikimoribito caves, munching on a rice ball. "Hey! Anyone here?"

Five of them dropped from the mountain above her. One asked, "What do you want, Matsubayashi-san?"

"I came to do business. Are there any transport vehicles for sale?"

The one who had spoken moved aside, ushering her into the caves.

* * *

"So, which one do you want, miss?"

Akemi frowned, walking around a mid-size ship and inspecting it from all angles. "This one…is too small. How much does that one cost, over there? The big one with the green stripes?"

The merchant glanced at the vehicle in question. "That? That'll set you back 500 thousand yen."

She glared at him. "Three hundred."

"Four hundred."

"Three-fifty, and I'll have one of my guys take it to the village for you."

"Deal." They shook hands, and Akemi gave him the money. The merchant scanned the area. "A new guy from Kougakyo just came to work for me. He'll steer the thing for you, if I can just find him… Hey! Kusano-kun! Get over here, I have a job for you."

A young man with green eyes and tan skin strode over. Akemi blinked. _Oh, wow…he's cute. Must not screw this up, must not screw this up…What did my brother say was key in talking to people you like? Confidence and…oh, yeah. Not making an ass of yourself._

"Yeah, boss?"

"Take this girl and that transport vehicle and go where she tells you."

Kusano turned to her. "Where to, Matsubayashi-san?"

"Call me Akemi. I'm heading to Kanna-mura." _Matsubayashi? I didn't tell him my last name… What is going on here?_

"Let's get going."

As soon as they left the caves, she grabbed him by the shoulder, and he yelped. She glared at him. "How did you know my name?"

He flinched, pulling away from her and backing up to the railing. "Um, yeah…about that. Umm…I may not have been entirely honest. I don't really work for that guy. My uncle Terada, he works for a guy named Ikemizu, and he told me to deliver a message from Ikemizu to a guy named Matsubayashi Ukyo in Kanna village. That's how I knew your name."

Akemi relaxed, still not taking her eyes off him. "Give me the message." He pulled a piece of folded paper out of his jacket and handed it to her. She pulled a dictionary out of her bag and started reading. Kusano ambled over to stand behind her, looking at it over her shoulder. After a few minutes, she refolded the paper and dropped it into her bag.

"Shouldn't you be steering this thing?"

He jumped. "Y-you're not mad? I heard you had a terrible temper."

She shrugged, grinning. "What's there to be mad about, Kusano-kun? All you did was give me a message. So…you're from Kougakyo, huh? What part of the city are you from? What's your family like?"

Kusano blushed slightly. "Umm…Kita, fifth level. My parents and my cousin Saki own an appliance store. Saki's cool—she came to live with us after she dumped her boyfriend, and she's a year older than me. Terada is her father."

Akemi's eyes narrowed. "Tell me more about his boss, Ikemizu."

* * *

As the sun set that day, a Shikimoribito transport vehicle roared into town, grinding to a halt in the main square. A young man and his delivery turtle lowered the ramp in the side and walked down it. Ukyo watched from his porch as Akemi leaned over the railing and yelled, "See ya, Kusano-kun!"

As the man rode away, he called back, "Hey, look me up the next time you go into the city, okay?" She stomped down the ramp, grinning hugely and waving as he rode away. Her smile faded as she saw her brother.

He smirked at her. "Awww…you've got a boyfriend now."

She glared at him. "That guy was Takashi Kusano. His uncle Terada works for Ikemizu, the leader of the separatist group Shin-seichou. **(2.)** He gave me a message for you…And he is _not_ my boyfriend."

Together, they went inside and sat down to dinner. Komachi was sneaking a bite from Ukyo's bowl; when she realized he was looking at her, she stuffed another piece of fish in her mouth and straightened up, looking innocent.

Kaede asked, "How was your trip, dear? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, obaasan. I have a letter for my brother." She tossed it to him, and he read it out loud.

"To Matsubayashi Ukyo, 49th replica of the emperor Naruhito and resident of Kanna-mura, from Ikemizu Michio, resident of Kougakyo; greetings. It has recently come to my attention that you have won the 25th Kanritsu Shageki Taikai, and I congratulate you for that. I have a proposition that I believe you will find interesting; it concerns your reign as Amanushi. I will be at the Harumi bar in Kougakyo at eight P.M on the thirtieth day of the seventh month to discuss it further with you."

Akemi remarked, "That's in two weeks…the day after my birthday. Do you think we should go, oniichan?"

Ukyo sounded distracted as he replied, "I know that man…Ikemizu was one of my ministers. He was always very supportive of me and my plans. Right before I tried to attack this village, he retired. I wonder what he wants from me now. I suppose I might as well go find out…And I bet you want to see that guy again, don't you?"

Akemi turned red. "Shut up. And if we do run into him…don't say anything to him, do you hear? _Nothing_. Especially since you usually scare away all my boyfriends anyway."

Ukyo shrugged, turning to Kirara. "Do you want to come with me? I mean, it'll probably be really boring… but I don't think I could handle having to spend so much time with only my sister for company—no offense, Mei-chan."

"Yeah, and he can't go by himself—leave him alone without meaningful conversation too long, he starts going a little crazy." **(3.)**

Kirara stared at her empty plate. _This person was loyal to Ukyo when he tried to destroy my village…I know that Ukyo has changed, but I'm not sure we can trust this person Ikemizu. Especially considering what Muramasa-sama told us about that group seeking to put an Amanushi clone on the throne… Ukyo may be in danger. Whatever happens, I will be there for him._ "Sure. I'll come with you. Komachi, you will have to stay here with the water crystal."

* * *

The day after Akemi's twentieth birthday, she, her brother, and Kirara left for Kougakyo again. This time, they took their new transport vehicle, which Akemi had finally figured out how to steer.

Kirara opened the door to the control room, with Ukyo on her heels. "Akemi-san, are you steering? Are you even paying attention?"

Akemi slowly turned around and glared at her. "Kirara-chan. I have a splitting headache. My stomach feels like it's trying to turn itself inside out. I can barely see straight. **(4.)** Unfortunately, I am also the only person who's figured out how not to drive this thing into the nearest mountain. So…just…shut…up."

Kirara edged her way out the door, but Ukyo walked forwards, handing Akemi a rice ball. "Here you go. It's just plain rice…think you'll be able to keep it down?" She forced a smile. "Thanks." As he turned to go back on deck, she grabbed his sleeve.

"Oniichan…you don't still want to be the Amanushi, do you?"

He smiled at her. "What made you ask that? Of course I don't…after all, I wouldn't be able to take Kirara-kun with me."

Akemi turned her attention back to the task of steering the ship. She squinted through the heat haze. "We're almost there. You might want to go get ready, oniichan."

When they arrived at the outskirts of Kougakyo several hours later, Kusano was waiting for them. He watched as Akemi parked, lowered the ramp, and linked a chain from the railing to a huge rock jutting out of the ground. As she did this, she caught sight of him and smiled. "Hi. Did your uncle send you to do his job again?"

He blushed. "Umm…actually, I umm…I just came to meet you, Akemi-san."

Her smile widened. "That was really nice of you. Ikemizu wanted to meet my brother at the Harumi bar—do you know where that is?"

He started to reply, but he was interrupted by Ukyo, who asked Akemi, "So, this is the boy?" She glared at him. "I told you not to say anything!" She turned back to Kusano. "This is my brother Ukyo. Oniichan, this is Takashi Kusano—be nice to him."

As Kirara left the vehicle, she glanced at Kusano curiously. _So this is the guy Akemi-san likes? I feel sorry for him…He won't know what hit him._ Akemi suddenly groaned, clutching her forehead. Kusano laid a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing…just a bad headache."

"Well…we have a few hours until that meeting. Do you want to go for a walk with me? Maybe that will make you feel better."

She blushed and nodded. As they turned to walk off together, Ukyo glared at Kusano's retreating back. Kirara remarked, "I thought you said you didn't worry about her anymore."

"I lied. But then again, that guy seems like he'd be too sensible to try anything. And he was right; we do have a couple hours to spare. Want to do some sight-seeing?"

She nodded. _It will be nice to walk around the city without worrying about finding samurai or being attacked…even if that was kind of Ukyo's fault in the first place._

* * *

Kirara walked down the street with Ukyo, holding hands. Suddenly, he shivered, and she glanced at him curiously. "Is something the matter?"

"'I had a dream about you last night…' Do you remember? This was the street I first met you on. I acted so stupid…I really am sorry about that, you know."

She squeezed his hand tighter. "It's alright, Ukyo. You don't have to keep apologizing for it. Besides, Akemi-san told me that girls used to practically throw themselves at you; you didn't know it was going to be different. What would you have done if I had agreed to go with you?"

He sighed. "I can't remember…I'm sure I had a good idea at the time. And I really didn't mean for Tessai to knock you out, or for my stupid bodyguards to chase you, or for—"

"_Stop apologizing_. Isn't it about time for the meeting?"

He checked his watch, and his eyes widened. "Uh-oh. We're going to be late if we don't hurry! Come on!"

* * *

The Harumi bar was a large two-story building lit by blue and green lights, although the sun was barely touching the horizon. Kusano and Akemi were already waiting outside; she was clinging to his arm, but quickly stepped away when she saw her brother and Kirara approaching.

Kusano sighed, meeting Akemi's gaze. "I have to get home—Saki's making dinner, and she yells at me if I don't get home in time to eat it. Oh, wait—here's my address. Write to me, okay?" He pressed a piece of paper into her hand, and she nodded.

Ukyo smirked at her, receiving an elbow in the ribs in response. Kirara pulled the door open.

The inside of the bar was nearly empty, except for the bartender and a low table in the darkest corner. An old man was sitting there, reading the paper. He put it down and motioned them over.

As Ukyo sat down, the man stood up and bowed deeply. "Divine Emperor, it is a pleasure to see you again. This one trusts you are well?" **(5.)**

"Tolerable. This is my sister Akemi, and this is Kirara from the village of Kanna. Please, sit. Are you the one called Ikemizu?"

The man bowed again before sitting down. "This unworthy one does indeed go by that name."

Ukyo winced. _I hate speech like this. I'm not Amanushi anymore, so why is he being so formal?_ "Your letter said you had a proposition for me. What is it?"

Ikemizu's eyes narrowed. "This country is rotting. Without a direct descendant of Emperor Naruhito on the throne, the people lack proper leadership. Because of the…circumstances of your leaving the throne, you still hold the right of succession. Only your descendants should rule, for you _are_ the Amanushi, the forty-ninth clone of a perfect ruler. It is your destiny and your rightful place in life."

"…Is that so? Please, continue."

Instead, he called for sake. When the bottle was brought, he began to pour a cup for Ukyo, who declined. Akemi also shook her head. "I just got over a hangover; I don't want another one."

He smiled thinly. "If you wish, Akemi-dono."

Ukyo glared at him. "Enough small talk. Tell me plainly; what was your reason for calling me here today?"

"We—my associates and I—want to help you to regain the throne. Think of all the good you could do for your people! Think of the power you could wield! Nobody would ever have to go hungry again. And that place…Kanna-mura…you could make it into paradise."

Kirara met Ukyo's eyes. He raised an eyebrow and inclined his head towards Ikemizu, and she shook her head slightly. _I don't want to be the Emperor's wife; I want to stay in my village…with you._

Ukyo turned back to Ikemizu, a faint smile on his face. "Sorry. I have no interest in being the Amanushi anymore."

Ikemizu choked on his sake. "What? How? You--you even killed the previous Emperor to take his place…how can you not want to be Emperor anymore?"

"Simple." He gazed at Kirara, smiling. "I found somebody more important than power and riches." With that, he rose to leave, as did Kirara, ignoring Ikemizu's surprised expression.

Akemi shook her head. "Guys, wait up—I need to use the bathroom."

"We'll wait outside."

* * *

Akemi shivered as she stepped into the dilapidated bathroom and turned the light on. _What's that skittering noise? Please don't be a roach, please don't be a roach… And what's that weird smell?_ A chemical odor hung in the air, and she blinked as it stung her eyes. _It smells like medicine…_ And then she collapsed, legs folding underneath her.

A heavyset man walked into the bathroom and slung her over his shoulder, carrying her outside through the back entrance. Ikemizu was waiting, and his eyes lit up when he saw what the man carried. "Put her in the back."

_Excellent_, he thought. _Ukyo-dono loves his sister, and he will surely help us if we make him believe his sister has been kidnapped on the Emperor's orders. Then I will have my old position and power back._

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Most guns are blued, giving them a durable, dark finish that also provides camouflage. The Setsugekka is nickel-plated instead, resulting in a bright, shiny surface that you can see from a mile away.

2. Shin-seichou means "True (legitimate) dynasty rule."

3. If you notice, during the series, Ukyo is never, ever alone. Even on the deck of the capital, when he's having his little flashback sequence, there's Tessai and that Imperial Minister behind him. He seems to be a very social person who wouldn't be able to handle solitude very well—or confinement, which might also explain his apparent loss of common sense after the Amanushi's interrogation.

4. In Japan, the legal drinking age is 20, so Akemi celebrated her 20th birthday by getting spectacularly drunk. The resulting hangover should make her unfit to pilot anything, but she's the only one of the group that knows how to steer the vehicle.

5. Ikemizu uses an extremely formal mode of speech, referring to himself as "sessha" (this unworthy, clumsy fool) and using the super-polite honorific forms of words. This tends to drag out conversations somewhat, as the polite forms of most Japanese words are _long_. It annoys Ukyo because he very much wants to get the meeting out of the way.

Next Chapter

Ikemizu has kidnapped Akemi to coerce Ukyo into joining him. Bad idea. Kirara and Ukyo—with Kusano in tow—rush to find her. When she escapes, Ikemizu blames the kidnapping on Imperial troops. Will Ukyo fall for it and turn against the Emperor, or will he be able to see through Ikemizu's lies? Find out next time on Second Chances!

As always, reviews are appreciated!


	16. Rescue!

"She's been in there over ten minutes. Even for her, that's a long time."

Kirara nodded, twining her hair around her fingers nervously. "Do you want me to go in?"

He nodded. "You check the bathroom; I'll talk to the bartender."

Upon seeing them walk through the door, the bartender shook his head. "Your friend hasn't come out—at least, not this way. And Ikemizu left through the back door...said he had to meet a friend."

Ukyo's eyes widened. "What's behind this bar?"

"Umm…just a one-way street… The back door's that way."

They entered the alley, squinting in the gloom. Kirara asked him, "I don't suppose you've ever read any mystery novels, have you?"

He shook his head. "No…but I think I can guess what happened here. See the tracks on the floor? Somebody had a carriage in here, and I _don't_ think they were delivering supplies. My sister's been kidnapped, I'm sure of it."

"But how could someone do that? Akemi-san's pretty strong."

"I don't know." He glanced at the ground, and his eyes widened. "Hey…look at this." He knelt, picking a scrap of yellow fabric off the asphalt. "This is the imperial crest!"

Kirara squinted at it. _The imperial crest? This is bad. Ukyo can't reveal himself, or we'll be in danger. I left my water crystal at home with Komachi, so I can't track her that way. If she was kidnapped by someone working for the emperor, there's nobody in the city we can turn to…except…_ "Kusano's uncle Terada works for Ikemizu, doesn't he? Maybe he can help us."

Ukyo nodded slowly. _Terada…why does that name sound so familiar?_ He gulped. "Oh. _Oh._ Umm…do we have to ask him? Maybe there's somebody around here who might have seen something…"

"If something happened to you, I know I'd want to help. Let's go visit him." As he winced, she glanced at him curiously. "What's the matter? Oh, let me guess…you've slept with one of his relatives."

Ukyo flinched. "What?! No, that's not it—I just don't want to have to deal with any guy who has the bad taste to have a crush on my sister, that's all."

"_Right_. Now, where did Akemi say Kusano lived again?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Akemi stirred. As she regained consciousness, she became aware that her hands were duct-taped behind her back, her ankles were tied together, and she had a splitting headache. She twisted around on her side and opened her eyes, struggling to make out her surroundings. _A carriage? Just great…I've been kidnapped._

"If you scream, I'll cut your throat." The other inhabitant of the vehicle pulled a long knife from his belt, and she nodded, replying in a whisper. "Who are you? You should know that nobody will pay a ransom for me. My brother will find me soon, and he'll kill you if I'm harmed."

The man moved closer. When he spoke, she saw that one of his front teeth was gone. "That's what we're counting on, girl. Oh, and don't even think about going for your guns—I've got 'em."

"…How do I know you won't try to hurt me?"

He snorted. "Do I look like an idiot? If Ukyo finds you injured, he'll kill whoever he thinks is responsible—and I don't have a death wish. Now…I'm afraid we can't have you awake and making trouble, so…" He hit her in the head, knocking her out again.

The carriage stopped in front of a rundown building. He slung Akemi's body over his shoulder and stepped out. The door creaked open, and Ikemizu stuck his head out.

"You've brought her. Did you leave the seal?"

"Yes, Ikemizu-sama. It'll point Ukyo-dono in the right direction…for _us_, that is."

"_Excellent_. Let's go."

* * *

Kusano's home proved to be a small hardware store crammed between two high-rise buildings. There was a sign in the window advertising 25 discounts on toaster ovens and rice cookers.

Ukyo pushed the door open. As he caught sight of the brunette woman standing behind the cash register, he stopped dead, causing Kirara to collide with him. She nudged him out of the way, watching as the other woman stuttered.

"Ah—Ukyo-kun? Ukyo-kun!" She jumped over the counter and hugged him, causing him to go rigid with shock. "Ukyo-kun! I thought you were dead, you moron! What are you doing here?"

He gently pried her off of him, and her eyes widened as she caught sight of Kirara. "Hey, you're that girl he wouldn't shut up about! Kirara-san, right? I'm Sakiko Terada, former concubine. Please call me Saki."

Kirara looked from Ukyo to Saki and back, asking him, "_This_ is why you didn't want to come here?"

He stared at the floor. "Umm…well…I didn't want you to get the wrong idea…"

She shook her head. "You thought I would get upset over this? We have more important things to worry about." She turned to Saki. "We need to talk to your cousin. Akemi-san's been kidnapped."

Saki blinked slowly. "Okay…I'm still not sure what's going on, but I'll get him for you." She went into the back of the shop, calling, "Hey! Takashi-kun! Akemi-chan's brother is here! She's been kidnapped, and—"

Kusano sprinted out of the back room. "Kidnapped?! When? How?" He skidded to a stop and glanced at his cousin. "And how the hell do you know him?"

She grinned. "You remember how when I moved in, I brought a ton of fancy jewelry and clothes and stuff? And I said they were gifts from my ex-boyfriend? That's him."

Kusano winced. "Eeew. So what does that make me?"

Ukyo sighed. "Absolutely nothing. What do you know about this?" He held up the yellow fabric, indicating the intricate series of designs that represented the royal family.

The younger man squinted at it. "Wait…you think the Amanushi had something to do with Akemi-san's disappearing?"

"That's what it looks like, yes."

Kusano leaned on the counter, staring at the green linoleum on the floor. "Hmm…well, there's an abandoned building on the other side of the city. It was recently bought by the government for use as a warehouse. It would be a perfect place to hide people."

Kirara replied, "Let's go check it out. How do we get there?"

Kusano's head snapped up, and he stared at her. "You're letting me go with you? I mean, of course I want to save Akemi-san, but I can't fight like you." He motioned to Suigetsu hanging by Kirara's hip. "I'd be a sitting duck."

Kirara sighed. _Even considering the circumstances, it would have been nice to spend time with Ukyo by myself…but Kusano-san really likes Akemi, and we do need him to show us the way. _"It doesn't matter. You won't have to fight."

He sighed. _I wish I could be useful…but I'm just dead weight now._ "Okay. Saki-san, can you make up something to tell Mom and Dad? I'm going to save Akemi-san."

She reached underneath the counter and pulled out a wrench and a screwdriver. "Take these. They're not guns or katana or anything, but they might come in handy." Kusano accepted them with a deep bow of gratitude, shoving them through his belt as he straightened up.

As they left, she called after them, "Come back safe, okay? And tell Akemi-chan I said hi."

* * *

Akemi's eyes opened; she blinked as dust stung them. _Where…am I now?_ As she sat up, she realized that her arms were free. Quickly, she reached down and ripped the twine off her legs, struggling to her feet. _It's so dark…Light switch. Gotta find a light switch. _She groped for the wall, running her fingers along it. _Ah, here it is._ She flipped it, and a bare bulb flickered into life.

She glanced around curiously. The walls and floor were bare concrete, and there was no furniture. Her bag and guns lay on the floor next to her, so she strapped them on and slung her bag over her shoulder.

_Why did they give me these? They can't be planning to let me go._ She checked the door, rattling the lock. Realizing it was locked, she backed up and drew Taiyokousen, checking the bullets. She focused her ki and shot the hinges, causing the door to fall outward. **(1.)** Casually, she strolled out of the room, only to find herself in another, larger space.

"Huh?" _There are no guards… What the hell is going on?_ She walked across the room, hearing nothing but the sound of her sandals on the concrete. A flash of bright color caught her attention, and she looked up to see a purple wall hanging decorated with the Imperial crest.

She began to pace back and forth, thinking. _There's an Imperial crest on the wall…but why would they want to kidnap me? I'm nobody now. Ikemizu, on the other hand…he has a reason. I bet he planted evidence or something to make it look like I'd been kidnapped on the Amanushi's orders… And so my oniichan would have a reason to hate the Amanushi! Yeah! That must be it! Okay, so now I just have to find him again…_

She walked up to the huge double doors. _Damn…this is high-grade steel. I can't shoot the hinges on this thing. What do I do?_ She glanced around, and her eyes lit up.

"Yes!" _There's a window up there! If I can get up there…oh, Benzaiten, that would be really high. But still…_ She grabbed an empty wooden crate and shoved it in front of a larger stack, wrapping the strap of her drawstring bag across her chest to ensure it wouldn't slip down. _Right. All I have to do is not look down._

* * *

Kusano rummaged through his pockets for change, finally pulling out 600 yen and handing it to the conductor. **(2.)** "Three train passes, please. For the express line to Mina district." The woman nodded and waved them through the gate.

Ukyo threw his bag onto the seat with a groan. "Damn, that thing weighs a ton." Kirara asked, "Why did you bring it, if it's so heavy?" He shrugged.

The next several minutes were spent in silence, as the train rumbled through the city. Kusano gazed out of the window, trying to ignore Ukyo drumming his fingers on the seat. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, snapping, "Will you stop that?"

He stopped. "Sorry… Hey, doesn't this seem kind of anticlimactic to you? I mean, we're on our way to rescue my sister…and we're taking the _train_."

As if on cue, the loudspeaker blared, "Now approaching Fuyumi Station, Mina district. I repeat, Fuyumi Station, Mina."

They disembarked, and Kusano motioned for them to follow him. "That building I told you about is a few blocks away from here. Come on."

On their way out of the station, a homeless man tugged on Kusano's sleeve. "Money for the poor, sir?" As he reached into his pocket, the man remarked, "You know, if you were to go to the Megu diner across the street, you might find out the truth about certain matters, Takashi Kusano-kun."

Kusano froze as the man pulled 100 yen out of his hand and bowed. "Thank you, sir. I'm afraid I must be on my way now. Tell your uncle's boss I said hello." He ambled down the block as Kusano turned back to Kirara and Ukyo.

"Did either of you hear that?" They nodded. "Okay. Who thinks we should go to Megu?"

Ukyo frowned. "If we do that, we'll lose time. Besides, what makes you think we should follow advice from a homeless guy? He didn't look all that sane to me."

"He knew my name. He told me to say hello to Ikemizu for him. I think maybe we should take his advice."

"Okay…" Ukyo turned to Kirara. "Kirara-kun, will you go with Kusano-san to that warehouse he mentioned? I'll go to Megu alone."

She grabbed his hand. "Ukyo-san, no. If you do that, they could kidnap you, too."

He smiled, squeezing her hand briefly before letting it drop. "I'll be fine. Please, go rescue my sister."

As she walked up the block, following Kusano's lead, she saw Ukyo cross the street and push open the door of a greasy-looking diner.

_I hope this turns out all right. Akemi-san, where are you?_

* * *

Having pushed several crates together to form a staircase of sorts, Akemi was climbing up to the window, muttering under her breath. "Don't look down…do _not_ look down…ah! Made it!" She shoved open the window and stuck her head out, nearly scraping her nose against a stone.

_This is great! Thanks, city planners, for building the place in layers_. The fourth and fifth levels of Kougakyo were built close together, so that in some places it was possible to step from the edge of the higher level directly onto the roof of a lower house. **(3.)** Akemi was free. All she had to do was grab on to the bottom of the protective railing and pull herself up. Slowly and carefully, she wriggled out of the window, bracing her foot against the frame in order to climb onto the railing and flip herself over.

Once on the fifth level, she wasted no time in getting as far away from the edge as possible, heart racing. _I hate heights. I really hate heights. Now, where could oniichan be? I know that Kusano lives on this level…which district was that again?_ She glanced around. Seeing that there was nobody in sight, she turned right and started walking. _I'm bound to find a way out eventually._

* * *

Ikemizu was waiting at a table next to the door, sipping a cup of tea. Ukyo sat down across from him and glared. The older man looked surprised.

"Ukyo-dono, what brings you here? This unworthy one thought that you and your sister would be on your way back to Kanna-mura by now."

Ukyo leaned back in his chair, looking him straight in the eye. "Stop speaking so formally. My sister has been kidnapped. Judging by the circumstances, I am inclined to believe that Shin-seichou may have had something to do with it. You wouldn't happen to know anything, would you?"

Ikemizu smiled. "Alas, Amanushi-sama, I am afraid I don't know anything. Even if I did, what motive would I have to do such a thing? I bear you no ill will. However…" His voice trailed off. He paused dramatically before continuing. "It is my belief that perhaps the usurper Kajiwara may have a hand in your poor sister's disappearance."

Ukyo frowned. _Kajiwara…? Oh, that's right. My cousin, the new Amanushi. But that doesn't make sense. Why would he do that? How would he even know who my sister is? _"What leads you to that conclusion?"

"You were the previous Amanushi. Since you appeared in the paper recently, Kajiwara knows that you are still alive. As long as you live, you are a threat to him. He may have kidnapped Akemi-dono in order to lure you out and kill you. After all, she is your sister. Everyone knows how important your sister is to you."

The younger man nodded. _It's certainly a possibility. However, if there are Imperial soldiers out to kill me, they surely would have acted before now. Mei-chan's been missing for hours. Besides, Ikemizu was right there. How could he not know anything? _"How would he have known where to find me? The capital is in the city of Hamamatsu, miles away from here. It's not like the newspaper came with a map."

Ikemizu snorted. "Does it matter? Anyone who would stoop to having a teenage girl kidnapped is unworthy of being the Amanushi. Join me, and I will help you take revenge for this insult. You would surely make a better ruler than this dishonorable coward."

He sighed. "I've already told you…I am _not_ the Amanushi anymore. I no longer have any interest in power."

An almost imperceptible smirk began to show on Ikemizu's face. "What about your beloved Kirara-sama, then? Surely she would love to escape her life of drudgery and become the emperor's wife?"

Ukyo stared at the dingy painting on the far wall. _I want to be able to give Kirara riches. I want her to never have to lift a finger unless she wants to. But…I offered her that already. _"She turned me down. She loves her village; she would never leave. I don't want her to be miserable."

"What about the people? Just think—you could eradicate the Nobuseri I know you hate so much. You could end the country's suffering, and be remembered as a hero!"

Ukyo shook his head. "Sorry. Now, since you obviously can't help me find my sister, and I have no interest in joining you, I believe I will take my leave. Good night."

He stood up and turned to leave. As Ukyo rested his hand on the doorknob, Ikemizu remarked, "It really is a shame, you know. You could have had such riches, and you would be able to protect your Kirara-sama and your sister's young man…what was his name? Oh, yes—Takashi. It would be a terrible shame if something happened to them."

Ukyo shoved the door open and sprinted out of the diner.

* * *

As they made their way through the streets of Kougakyo, Kusano turned to Kirara and asked her, "So, how long have you and Ukyo-san been together?"

She frowned, thinking. "Umm…two months, I think. Why?"

"Oh, I thought you had been with him for longer than that. Have you seen the way he looks at you? And you look at him like he's, I don't know, the Amanushi or something. Can I ask how you two got together?"

Kirara smiled. "Well, the first time we met was here, in Kougakyo; would you believe he was hitting on me? I hated him at first. Then I didn't see him again for a long time, until the battle of Kanna. You heard about that, right? I was terrified of him. After the battle, I thought he died, but he came back six months later. He wound up living with me and Akemi-san, and then I started to like him." She shook her head. "I am the mikumari—the water priestess—of Kanna. I thought I wasn't supposed to fall in love, so I denied my feelings—until one of the samurai who defended my village before came back and tried to kill him. That's when we started being together."

"Wow, that's cool. Umm…this samurai…what is he to Akemi-san?"

She giggled. "Katsushiro-sama? Nothing. She doesn't like him at all—too immature for her. And anyway, he's with a girl from my village. You have nothing to worry about."

He blushed. "That's good."

"You like her a lot, don't you?"

Kusano's blush deepened, and he stared at his feet as he walked. "Yeah. Please don't tell her! She's really brave, and she's the most honest person I know."

Kirara glanced around the corner, catching sight of something red. _Akemi-san?_ As the figure came closer, her face lit up. "Akemi-san!"

Akemi ran up to them, hugging Kirara. She was surprised, but patted her on the back awkwardly before stepping back. Akemi's face lit up as she turned to Kusano. "Kusano-kun! What are you doing here?"

Kusano stared at her. "We came to rescue you. But I guess you were fine on your own." She took his hand in both of hers.

"Thank you. If you hadn't come looking for me, I would never have found my way out of here. You really helped." She squeezed his hand and he blushed, deciding to change the subject.

"Umm…we left your brother by the train station…let's go back."

She blinked. "Why'd he stay behind? You know—okay, you wouldn't know, but whatever—he'd normally be the first one here."

"Well, it's a strange story…"

As they walked back to the train station, he explained the message the homeless man had given them. When he was finished, Akemi stopped and stared at him. "And he _believed_ that? It's official; my brother is an idiot."

The sound of running footsteps reached their ears just before Ukyo came into sight. As he caught sight of them, he waved. Akemi smacked him. "Oniichan, you moron! What were you thinking, going to meet Ikemizu all by yourself?"

Ukyo glared down at her. "I was worried about you! I didn't know where you were or where to start looking! You could have—you could have _died_, do you understand that?!" He hugged her tightly, causing her to yelp in shock.

"Just…be careful next time."

She sighed and stepped back. "Fine. So, what happened while I was kidnapped?"

* * *

Many miles away, a young woman in a white kimono picked up her phone. "Hello, Tendou residence, Haruka speaking. Oh, Ikemizu-sama. Yes, I understand. You weren't able to convince him? That's too bad. Plan B, then. Yes, I'll get to it right away. If I may be so bold as to ask, why did he turn it down? Wait—his _girlfriend_? Are you sure? Oh. Goodbye."

She hung up and stared at her hands. _So he's finally found somebody he loves more than power. Good for him._

Haruka picked up the phone again. "Hello, operator? Please connect me to Kajiwara Masako. Empress, my name is Haruka of the Tendou clan of Matsuyama, and I have some information that you may find interesting."

In Hamamatsu, the wife of the Amanushi listened calmly, angling the phone so that her husband, seated next to her on the floor, could hear what was said. "Yes. Uh-huh. Ikemizu, you said? Hmm. Yes, I'll pass it along. Thank you for telling me this." She turned to her husband, Mitsuyuki. "Did you hear all that?" He nodded. "What do you think we should do?"

He leaned back against the wall, twining a few strands of black hair around his fingers as he stared into space. After a few minutes, he replied. "I will summon that girl--Haruka, right? She said she knew my predecessor from before—and those people from Gunma. Umm, could you jot this down, please? Matsubayashi Ukyo, his sister Akemi, Kusano Takashi, and Kirara. What was the name of that young samurai, one of the Kanna Seven? Okamoto…"

"Okamoto Katsushiro. Why him?"

Mitsuyuki's eyes narrowed. "From what I understand, he is the youngest, and probably the most idealistic. He is also quite strong. I don't want him influenced against me. Please, help me get the invitations written up. I want to stop this rebellion before it starts, and these six will help me do it."

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Despite what those action movies say, shooting the lock on a door will not open it, unless you have a VERY high-caliber gun and are shooting at point-blank range. And even then, the shrapnel will be painful. The weakest parts of a door are its hinges, so blasting them to bits will open the door. (A screwdriver or thin piece of metal to turn the screws with also helps.)

2. As the world of Samurai 7 doesn't have MetroCards, Kusano pays the train fare in cash—600 yen is about 6, or three one-way rides.

3. This is based on pictures I've seen of cities in Sicily, where the buildings are built in layers jammed so close together that it looks like it's possible to jump from the sidewalk to someone else's roof.

On a side note, Haruka is twenty-six years old, from a high-ranking samurai family, and fought in the Great War. Her first battle left her with deep scars on her chest, so she was discharged on disability. After the war ended, she wandered into Kougakyo, where she met Ukyo and became a member of his harem for a few months. Now that she's back home, her parents are trying to push her to get married.

Next Chapter

Ukyo and the others return to Kanna, but their peace is short-lived, as a message arrives to summon them to the capital! Will Ukyo and Kirara ever have the time to work on their relationship? And what have Katsushiro and Shino been up to since we left them last? Will Kusano ever get up the nerve to ask Akemi out on an actual date? The answers to all these questions, and more, next time on Second Chances!


	17. Obey!

Ukyo tossed and turned, unable to sleep. _I can't stop thinking about what happened with Ikemizu. Of course I wouldn't have accepted, for Kirara's sake…but if I didn't have her, would I still want to be the Amanushi?_ He sighed and sat up. _I need some fresh air._

Kirara was sitting on the porch, studying her water crystal. As Ukyo sat down next to her, she smiled at him. "You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. "Kirara-kun…I'm so glad that you're here."

"Oh, really? And what brought this on?" She wriggled around so that she was facing him. He sighed and pulled away. "I was thinking about what happened earlier tonight. And…I realized something. You really did save me… Ah, never mind all that. What's been keeping you up?"

She held up the water crystal. "This. It's been glowing so brightly, it kept Komachi up. It's gotten even brighter now, and I don't know why." As she said this, Ukyo ran his fingers down her arm. She blushed, and the crystal glowed brighter. Seeing this, he grinned.

"Don't know why, Kirara?" He pulled her closer and kissed her slowly. She pulled away, running her fingers over his collarbone and down his chest. He shivered and wrapped his arms around her again. "Mmm, Kirara…I love you."

Now it was her turn to grin at him. "I know." She kissed him, twining his hair around her fingers. The crystal flashed as he started to slide his fingers underneath her top.

The sound of a fight reached their ears, and Kirara pulled away as if stung. "That sounds like it's coming from Shino's house. Come on."

"You go on ahead. I better put a shirt on."

As Ukyo went back inside, Kirara walked up the road to Shino's house, to find an enraged Manzo yelling at his embarrassed, half-dressed daughter and an equally humiliated and shirtless Katsushiro.

"You! You come into _my_ house, eat _my_ food, and because you're _samurai_ you think you can dishonor my daughter!"

"It—Manzo-sama, it wasn't—"

"Did you think I was blind and deaf? My daughter has been dishonored! Violated! No man will want to marry her now!"

"Father, it wasn't like that!"

Kirara looked from one to the other. _Well, I guess I don't need to be told what happened here. I wonder what it was like…_ "Please, stop arguing."

Ukyo walked up to them, looking confused. "I missed it. What's going on here?"

"He violated my daughter!"

Ukyo ignored Manzo's outburst, turning to Shino. The young woman looked like she was going to cry as she said, "Umm…Katsushiro-san and I…we, umm…"

"Did you sleep with him? Did you _want_ to sleep with him?"

Blushing furiously, she nodded.

"Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. Ukyo glared at Manzo. "You see? She's fine. Now, Katsushiro-san." He grabbed the younger man by the shoulder. So that none of the others could hear, he murmured, "You and I are going to have a chat tomorrow by the northeast lookout platform, understand?"

Katsushiro nodded rapidly. Ukyo looked back at Manzo. "This is just a suggestion, but Shino-san wouldn't be dishonored_ if you would just stop making a big deal out of it._ She gets to keep her honor as long as you don't broadcast this across the entire village. Do we have a deal?"

Manzo turned pale and nodded rapidly.

* * *

That morning, Ukyo was sitting under the guard platform, watching the light filter through the leaves. Katsushiro sat down next to him looking deeply annoyed. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Two things. First, Shino-san is my sister's best friend. If you hurt her, I will kill you. Slowly and painfully."

"I gathered that. What else?"

Ukyo grinned widely, causing Katsushiro to inch away. "Oh, yeah. The best condoms are—" **(1.)**

"I do _not_ need to hear this from _you_."

"What? I'm just saying…"

He turned bright red. "Well, stop saying it! I can handle it on my own."

"If you say so. But you do realize that if you get her pregnant, you'll have to marry her. I won't stand for anything else."

Katsushiro nodded. "Of course. Who do you think I am, _you_? I'll do the honorable thing."

Ukyo punched him in the arm. "Katsushiro-san, you little brat!"

Akemi raced into the clearing, waving a thick envelope. She skidded to a stop when she saw them. "Oh. Am I interrupting some kind of weird male-bonding thing?" Ukyo shook his head and stood up. "What's the matter?"

She reached into the envelope and pulled out two pieces of paper. "These are invitations to the capital, from the Amanushi himself. Kirara and I got them, too."

Ukyo read it and frowned. _They don't seem like they'd be plotting anything…but how did the capital get word of my meeting with Ikemizu? And they say they want my help… _"It would be treason not to go. When should we leave?"

Katsushiro stared at him. "You're actually going to go to the capital? You were the last Amanushi! He could kill you! It's got to be a trap."

"Maybe for you. Don't forget, you were committing treason when you attacked me. Besides, I'm his cousin—do you really think he's going to kill me?"

Akemi snorted. "This, coming from the guy who ordered _his own father's_ assassination? And let's not forget that you killed the previous Amanushi—who you were a clone of. _And_ you were willing to wipe out all of Kanna-mura… So, really, what's not to say that this Amanushi isn't just as ruthless?"

* * *

Kirara was sitting on the floor, sewing a great quantity of red and blue fabric. Shino walked through the door. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

Kirara stared at the floor. "Shino-san…about last night. I was wondering…err. Umm…what's it like?"

Shino's eyes flicked to the water crystal hanging from Kirara's wrist. "You mean you and Ukyo-san haven't…"

The mikumari's blush spread to her ears, and she shook her head. "I'm the water maiden priestess! I'm…I _can't_ do it, even if I wanted to. I couldn't do that to the village!" _But…I think I want to. When…when he touches me…_

"It doesn't hurt, you know. It's…actually, it's kind of fun. But…you might want to find a private place."

A very Ukyo-like smirk spread over Kirara's face as she remarked, "More private than your father's house, you mean? I can see that."

Blushing and seeking to change the subject, Shino motioned to an open envelope lying on the floor. "Did you get that today? What is it?"

Kirara lifted it up, showing Shino the letter. "It's an invitation to the capital, for the fifth day of the month. Katsushiro-sama and Ukyo-san also got them. I have no idea how we're going to get there, but obviously we can't turn them down. We'll have to take the ship and leave tomorrow if we're going to get there on time."

Shino sighed. _Too bad…I wanted some more time with Katsushiro._ "I'll take care of Komachi-san while you're gone. Are you going to use the water crystal?"

Kirara nodded. _Normally, I would leave it with Komachi, but after last night…I might need it myself._

* * *

The next day, they left Kanna-mura and headed west, past Kougakyo. They camped out the first night, but their second night on the road was spent in a roadside inn (where the redheaded woman in charge flirted shamelessly with Katsushiro). From there, it was on to the town of Iwamizawa, where Ukyo disappeared for two hours and came back holding boxes of ammunition and sporting a series of colorful bruises. They were nearly chased out of the small mountain village they spent the next night in, after an unfortunate incident involving Akemi, a bottle of sake, and the village headmistress's fiancé. Finally, they crossed the border into Shizuoka province, making their way to Hamamatsu.

"Are we there yet?"

Ukyo twitched in irritation. "For the last time…NO. We'll get there in a few hours." _I never thought spending four days with my sister would make me want to kill something this badly. It's a shame we haven't ran into any Nobuseri._

"Why are we going so slowly? Are you sure I can't take this thing off autopilot and speed it up? We're never going to get to Hamamatsu like this."

"I told you already. We can't speed up yet because Kirara-kun is still practicing." Indeed, shots had been heard from the stern for the past hour. **(2.)**

Akemi pouted. _Dammit…I wanted to see how fast this thing could go._

Ukyo squinted off into the distance, and his face lit up. "I can see the city from here."

Hamamatsu was built on a broad plain cut in half by a slow-moving river, which was in turn straddled by the capital buildings. At the edge of the city, there were stables for delivery turtles and an enormous garage for transport vehicles. Akemi raced back into the cockpit, switching off the autopilot and steering the ship through the hangar doors.

As they disembarked, carrying their bags, they were almost immediately accosted by a parking attendant. "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, but I'm afraid I must inform you of the rates. It's 1000 yen per hour"—Kirara looked a little green at this—"but only 6000 yen per day with our limited-time-only discount!"

When Akemi reached for her wallet, the attendant added, "You can pay on your way out, miss." She sighed with relief, and they left the garage and entered the city, making their way to the capital.

The city was a lot more imposing up close, Kirara decided. The streets were nowhere near as narrow as Kougakyo, but they were just as crowded, and lined with just as many tall buildings. The stalls and shop fronts appeared orderly and neat, instead of packed together to take advantage of every available spot. She couldn't help noticing how much cleaner it all looked, compared to the sand and dust of Kougakyo. "Wow…"

Next to her, Ukyo grumbled. "It's not that impressive. Give me canyons and waterfalls any day. This place is so…_flat_."

Akemi smirked. "Oooh, looks like someone's jealous."

"Who, me? I'm not jealous. Just because the capital is a gorgeous, exquisitely planned metropolis and I used to be in change of a glorified trash heap? Why should I be jealous of that?"

Kirara twined her fingers through his. "I liked Kougakyo."

Katsushiro looked up ahead and groaned. "There are the gates, but that big crowd up ahead doesn't seem to be moving."

Ukyo grinned, grabbing the GPS out of the young samurai's hands. "Out of the way, please. And stay close." He and Akemi elbowed their way through the crowd. "'Scuse me." "Comin' through." "Sorry!"

The samurai guards at the gate were dressed in elaborate, neat uniforms. Their swords looked as though they had never been drawn for any other purpose than cleaning, and Katsushiro winced, remembering how he had once been like that.

As they approached the gate, Ukyo hung back, allowing Akemi to step up. "Excuse me. We received a summons from the Imperial court,"—she produced the letters—"and we request permission to pass the gates."

The shorter of the two guards elbowed his partner out of the way to get a better look, and she stomped on his foot as she informed the travelers, "Well, the seal's genuine. I'm afraid you're all going to have to leave your weapons with us, though."

Akemi drew her guns, taking the bullet clips out before handing them to the guard. Kirara pulled out her revolver, fumbling to turn the safety on as the other guard took it. The female samurai motioned to Katsushiro. "You too. After what happened to the last Amanushi, Kajiwara-dono's not about to let a samurai into the Capital with a sword." Katsushiro reluctantly unfastened his sword belt and handed it, scabbard and all, to the guard.

Thus divested of their weaponry, Kirara, Akemi, and Katsushiro were allowed to pass through the gate, which opened with a whine of machinery. Ukyo joined them quickly, nearly throwing his unloaded guns at the guard.

As he passed, the male guard stared at his partner. "Did you see his hair? Call me crazy, but I could swear he looked a lot like the last Amanushi!"

"Well, they never found his body...The capital crashed, but he could have been flung free of the wreckage…and I did hear of a guy with blue hair winning some shooting tournament last month…Do you think maybe…?"

They frowned, thinking. Simultaneously, they shook their heads. "Naaah, couldn't be."

* * *

They were led through the palace by a maid, who kept glancing at Katsushiro out of the corner of her eye and blushing. He didn't notice, instead gawking at the marble floors and lavishly painted screens until Akemi poked him. "Close your mouth, you're letting the flies in."

The maid led them to a set of huge double doors, knocking loudly. As they opened, she informed the group, "The Amanushi is dealing with matters of state at the moment, so you will have to wait here."

The room beyond was furnished with a plush couch and a small table piled high with magazines. Seated close to the door and paging through a newspaper was a very familiar man, and Akemi nearly shoved Katsushiro out of the way to get to him. "Kusano-kun! How've you been? And what are you doing here?"

Kusano put the paper down, blushing as Akemi sat down next to him. "I'm fine. I got a letter from the capital telling me to come here. For what, I have no idea. How're things at Kanna-mura?"

Akemi leaned back, affecting a casual air. _Calm. Normal. Damn, he's got nice arms… Grr, focus, dammit. _"Fine—pretty boring without you around, actually. Except for this one thing…nah, it's not my story to tell, and besides, I only heard about it secondhand. Ask Katsu-kun."

Katsushiro turned red as Kusano focused his attention on him. "What's the news?"

"Err…umm…what happened was…"

A door at the other end of the room opened, and a young woman entered. Grateful for the distraction, Katsushiro stared at her. She was wearing three kimono; a white one that fell to her knees and two red ones under it. Her red obi had two swords shoved through it. _A female samurai? Red and white…those are the colors of the Tendou clan…_

She caught sight of Ukyo and waved. "Ukyo-kun! I guess you made it after all."

Akemi grinned at her and nudged her brother, who had been flipping through a magazine. He stared at the samurai in shock. "Haruka-san…or is that Tendou-sama now?" **(3.) **

The samurai—Haruka—seated herself on the arm of Ukyo's couch. "Don't be so damn formal, Ukyo-kun. I knew you wouldn't be killed so easily. Too much…stamina."

Kirara's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

Haruka stood up and bowed deeply. "Haruka, firstborn daughter of the Tendou clan, veteran of the Battle of Sekigaoka, former concubine to Matsubayashi Ukyo, current lady-in-waiting to Empress Masako…and, if you're Kirara-san, I'm also no threat to you as far as Ukyo-kun's concerned."

Katsushiro gasped. "The Battle of Sekigaoka? Then you're _that_ Haruka, the one who single-handedly brought down Tetsujiro Shinmura's entire attack force!"

Haruka sighed. "Yeah, kid, but what they don't tell you was that Shinmura's attack force was only twenty people. And I broke my sword. Luckily, I met Ukyo-kun, who bought me a new one. Speaking of which…" She turned to him. "Are you sure you won't take me back?"

Ukyo choked. "I—you—_what_? No!"

She sighed. "Pity. My parents are driving me crazy. If I hadn't taken this job I would have snapped. All we eat is fish and rice. I want meat and fast food, and chocolate, dammit! My parents barely talk to me, and when they do, it's always, 'Get married! Someday we'll be gone, and then you'll be an old maid with nobody to take care of you!' I can take care of myself! Why, just the other day—"

A knock sounded on the door, and another maid appeared. "Tendou-dono, Matsubayashi-dono, Kusano-dono…and Kirara-dono. His Imperial Majesty will see you now. Please, follow me."

Kirara glanced at Ukyo. _The Amanushi…I hope this turns out safely._

* * *

Mitsuyuki sighed heavily. He was tired and hungry and had a splitting headache. _Next time, Masako can deal with the delegations from Hakodate. That's her hometown, anyway. And I don't know a single thing about wheat._

His courtiers grew silent as the double doors at the end of the room swung open. Mitsuyuki sat up straight, shoving his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose—to no avail, as they promptly slid down again.

Ukyo strode through the assembled courtiers, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. The last time he had been in a situation like this, his entire life had changed. This time, however, he stopped in front of the Amanushi and bowed deeply. "Amanushi-sama."

With a wave of his hand, Mitsuyuki dismissed his courtiers. "Ukyo-sama. I admit, I was surprised to hear of your survival, and even more surprised to hear that the very village you tried to destroy actually took you in."

Ukyo offered a wry smile. "They would have thrown me out on my ear had it not been for my sister. May I present Matsubayashi Akemi?"

Akemi stepped forward. "Amanushi-sama, it is a pleasure to meet you. May I ask _how_ you learned that my brother still lived?"

Haruka flinched. "Umm…that was me. I learned it from Ikemizu, after making him believe that I might contribute to his cause." At Ukyo's glare, she explained, "Well…you were a great friend to me, and so…I don't know, I thought you'd be happy if you had power. But since you didn't want power, I had no reason to help Ikemizu…"

"So we hired her as a bodyguard for my wife. She is _very_ skilled." Mitsuyuki flashed her a brief grin before turning serious again. "Thank you for mentioning that man Ikemizu. Do you know what he's been doing in the past five days?"

As they all shook their heads, he elaborated. "He has been quietly mobilizing forces for a revolution. And I want you six to stop him before it gets out of hand."

Kusano paled and gripped Akemi's hand. She smiled at him. "What are you worried about? It's a fight. I'm great at those! With you by my side…Wait. You can't fight?"

He shook his head. "I can barely even throw a punch. You, your brother and Kirara-san have guns, Katsushiro-sama and…Haruka-sama, right? They have their swords, but all I'm good at is fixing things."

"What, and nothing breaks around here?"

Mitsuyuki watched them, smiling to himself. _Fixing things, eh?_ "Kusano Takashi-sama, what do you know about particle cannons, like the ones used by Honmaru battleships? Do you think you could fix something like that?"

Haruka bowed. "Imperial Majesty, forgive me…but did you not say that we were to stop Ikemizu before the situation reached that point?"

"Consider it a contingency plan. There are plenty of powerful nobles and samurai who want me and my family dead so that they can seize power. I hope that the Okamoto clan is not among them?"

Katsushiro turned pale at being directly addressed by the Amanushi. "No, no, of course not. Milord, I am a loyal servant. I hope you didn't take my actions at Kanna-mura to be otherwise."

Mitsuyuki's eyes narrowed. Katsushiro blinked as Ukyo leapt to his defense. "Amanushi-sama, those were extenuating circumstances. I was trying to destroy the village he had pledged to save, and naturally a samurai can't go back on his word…"

Mitsuyuki beamed. "Please say no more, I understand perfectly. You will all spend the night in my best guest rooms, for my day is over and we must meet again tomorrow."

As they left, he slouched down in his seat. _I can see the bonds between them. I have no doubt that they will work well together to stop this rebellion._

* * *

Author's Notes

1. I have a recurring mental image of Ukyo giving "The Talk" to Katsu. Not the Puberty Talk—the "Explicit Guide to Hot Sex" Talk, with much embarrassment from Katsushiro and fiendish delight from Ukyo. (The guy had his own harem, so he must have a _lot_ of experience in that area. And I get the feeling that he'd really enjoy mortifying Katsushiro.)

2. Kirara hasn't quite progressed to moving targets yet (at least, not at that speed), but tin cans are always fun to shoot.

3. This is a very bad pun on kanji. Haruka's last name, Tendou, means "providence" or "way of heaven." "Tendou-sama" is a way of referring to a god, and Haruka's family colors are the same as those worn by priestesses.

Next Chapter

The group spends the night in the Imperial Palace! Will Akemi and Kusano's relationship take a turn for the better? How will Kirara feel, seeing the royal splendor and knowing that it could have been hers? Then, they meet with the Amanushi again, and learn just how much influence Ikemizu wields! A revolution begins next time on Second Chances!


	18. Focus!

The guest rooms of the Imperial palace proved to be an entire building, separated from the others by a wide bridge. Ukyo glanced over the edge to the river below. "Akemi, look at this. I think there's carp in here."

Akemi ignored him. She was deep in conversation with Kusano. "How's Kougakyo doing?"

Kusano frowned. "Well…I don't usually pay much attention to politics. I remember there was a celebration when Matsubayashi Sakuzen took over, though. **(1.)** He's your cousin, right?"

She nodded. "Second cousin twice removed. He's the only male cousin I've got, so because of the city charter, he became magistrate. Has he been doing a good job?"

"I guess. Why, are you planning a takeover or something?"

Akemi giggled. "No, I was just wondering who has the rest of my stuff now. Don't be silly. I wasn't trained for that, and even if I was, I wouldn't want the job. It would involve work, sitting still, being polite. Or worse—wearing the traditional kimono."

Kusano blinked. "_The_ traditional kimono?"

"Yep. Every wife of the magistrate…or female magistrate in her own right, but there's never been one of those yet…has worn the same kimono—pine green with silver embroidery. It's heavy, tight—you can't move in it—and I look _horrible_ in green. Plus it's almost impossible to remove without help."

He turned red.

"What? What'd I say?"

* * *

Having reclaimed her gun and bags from the servants, Kirara slid open the door of her room and gasped. _Everything's so beautiful!_ The floor was covered in a thick red carpet. Through the window, she had a partial view of a garden filled with white flowers. The screens and walls were painted with murals depicting gods and heroes. The bedposts, table, and couch were made of mahogany inlaid with gold. She sat down on the couch, running her hand over the burgundy cushions.

_So pretty…Everywhere I look is gold and silks and velvet._ She leaned back, sinking further into the couch. _It's so comfortable, I don't want to move…but I have to get ready for bed and brush my teeth, at least._ Her eyes widened as she remembered the words Ukyo had spoken to her so many months ago. _'I'll take you to paradise...'_ _If…if I had accepted…I would have this comfort every day. Silks and jewels and fine food…_

With difficulty, she got up and opened her travel bag. _I can't think about that now. I have to get ready for bed._

After she brushed her teeth, she flopped down on her bed. _Silk…_ She tried to remember the last time she had felt silk against her skin. _I think it was…New Year's. The kimono I wear for the New Year's Festival every year. But that's coarse compared to these sheets._

She rolled over on her side, staring into the darkness of her room. _Tomorrow…we meet with the Amanushi. If Ikemizu makes his offer again…after Ukyo and Akemi have been exposed to all this wealth and opulence…what will happen? _Before she could guess, her exhaustion overtook her, and she fell asleep.

* * *

Akemi was not so lucky. Having grown used to her brother sleeping beside her and to the quiet of the country, she was unable to sleep alone in the middle of the city. She tossed and turned for a while before finally flipping on her bedside lamp and pulling her top and pants on. _Dammit, I can't sleep. Maybe I'll go out to the garden…_

She slid open the door in one corner of the room, walking out into the garden. White flowers seemed to glow under the city lights, giving it an otherworldly feel. The stones that made up the path were cold under her bare feet. She turned a corner and flinched back in surprise. Kusano was sitting on a wooden bench, staring into one of the many small pools that were scattered through the garden.

"You couldn't sleep either?"

He shook his head. "I was thinking…"

"Oooh, stop the presses."

"Ha, ha. Seriously, I'm worried about this whole situation. We're going to stop a man who we know nothing about, except that he has powerful supporters. And I'm totally useless."

She sat down next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You're not useless. You said you can fix things, right? That's always good."

"But that's _it_. That's all I can do. I can't fight, like you. I'd be dead weight—just a convenient hostage."

Akemi sighed. "Why do I feel like we've talked about this before…? Oh, right—_we_ _have_." She tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Listen to me. You will be fine. I swear I'll protect you, okay?"

He blushed. _I don't really want to be protected…but this is Akemi-san. She's different. _"Sure."

She grinned at him. "Excellent."

They gazed at the pool together. In its depths, a red carp and a brownish-green catfish circled each other.

"Ummm…Akemi-san?"

"Yeah?" She turned to look at him.

Watching the fish and steadily avoiding Akemi's gaze, Kusano stammered, "Will—I mean, when this is all over—will you, umm…can I take you out to dinner sometime?"

She turned deep red. _Great Benzaiten, he just asked me out! I swear I'll burn incense at your shrines for a year! Okay, calm, calm…I have to answer him. Can't appear too desperate, after all._ "Yeah, okay. That might be fun."

* * *

Ukyo lay sprawled on his stomach, staring at the wall. He had never been able to sleep alone. **(2.) **With a sigh, he rolled over and sat up, groping for the cord on his lamp. If he couldn't fall asleep, he could at least do something constructive. _I'll dig out my new rifle. Never can tell what trauma those idiot guards subjected it to._

Setsugekka gleamed silver in the light cast by the lamp. He ran his hands over it, checking for scratches by feel—a difficult job, given the engraving that spread over the nickel-plated surface.

It proved to be undamaged, and he moved to a low table, spreading out his rifle-cleaning kit. Dousing a rag in cleaning fluid, he rubbed it over the gun, polishing it to a mirror sheen. That job completed, he opened up the chamber (yelping as he caught his finger in the action) and fed a pipe cleaner through it and out of the barrel. "Good. All clean."

He hefted it to his shoulder. _My old sensei told me once that nickel-plated guns are easier to channel ki through. Let's see if that's true. _He took a deep breath and held it, trying to remember the chant Kurosawa-sensei had used. **(3.)** _What was it? No thought…no mind…no gun…Something like that. _

The engravings glittered blue as the air hummed and crackled around his hands and the barrel of the gun. He set it down again, grinning. "That was…unexpected." **(4.)** _I wasn't expecting such a strong reaction…I wonder what'll happen when I fire it for real._

He yawned, overcome by a sudden feeling of exhaustion. _Okay, time for bed._ He packed up his kit, leaving the gun on the table. Lowering himself onto the bed, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

…And was woken up the next morning by a copy of the Hamamatsu Times being thrown at his head. He picked it up, dropping it onto the bed beside him before glaring at the thrower. Haruka lounged on the couch, dressed in her tripled-layered kimono and shin guards.

"Morning, Ukyo-kun. I let you sleep in, but you have to get ready now. Everyone else is up and dressed and everything. Kajiwara-dono is waiting to see you."

Ukyo blinked and rubbed his eyes. She sighed and handed him a cup of coffee. "Here."

He drained it and slowly heaved himself off the bed, grumbling to himself as he headed to the bathroom. She waited until she heard the sound of the faucet being turned on, and then left the room to find herself face-to-face with Kirara.

"He's awake."

Haruka smirked at the younger woman. "What, didn't you trust me to be alone with him for two minutes? That's not _nearly_ enough time for us to be doing anything like what you were thinking…although I guess he could if he was really in a hurry."

She blushed. "W-what makes you think I'm jealous?"

The female samurai's smirk broadened into an unholy grin. "I may not be able to see inside people's hearts like you, but I can read your face just fine."

Akemi trudged towards them, followed by Katsushiro and Kusano. "_Why_? Why the hell do we have to have this meeting so early? What is wrong with these nobles?" All this was said in a tone of voice approaching a whine as she elbowed Haruka out of the way and banged on the door to Ukyo's room.

"Hey! Oniichan! Stop taking two hours to wash your hair! We're all waiting for you!"

Ukyo pulled the door open, glaring at his sister. His boots were untied, and he was still doing up the Velcro on his shirt. "I have _never_ taken two hours to wash my hair. Three hours, maybe—but not _two_."

* * *

Haruka bowed deeply as she slid open the door. "Presenting Her Most Serene Highness, Empress Masako."

Kusano blinked, both at the light in the throne room and at the woman sitting on the dais, who was surrounded by a mound of paperwork. She was wearing layers of kimono with intricate patterns in green, blue, and gold thread. The heavily jeweled crown on her head almost hid her light brown hair. As the group walked in, she smiled at them.

"A pleasure to meet you. Milord Mitsuyuki has told me about you all. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

They nodded, except for Akemi, who sighed and grumbled until Ukyo elbowed her, at which point she nodded so hard her headband slipped down. Masako hid a smile behind her hand.

"That's good. Now, let's get to business. Ikemizu has amassed quite a large following—mostly nobles who lost power when my husband took over. Don't worry about them. Thanks to Tendou-san, we've been able to take care of that problem. With the funds they gave him, however, Ikemizu has been able to set up a base at Kita-cho, Numazu, some fifty miles south of here. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate his base, kill him, and then fight your way back out. Any questions?"

Akemi's hand shot up. Masako acknowledged her with a graceful nod. "Yes, Matsubayashi-san?"

"How are we going to get to Numazu, and how do we find his base once we're there?"

Masako motioned to Ukyo to hand over his messenger bag. He complied, and she rummaged through it. Pulling out his GPS, she punched in a series of coordinates, put it back, and handed the bag to him. "That's how. You leave in three hours."

A shrill beeping noise sounded throughout the room. The empress winced. "You are dismissed. I have another meeting."

Akemi hung back after the others left. "Empress, may I ask a favor?"

"Yes?"

"Umm…see, we left our transport ship in the southeastern garage…and the rates are really high. Can you maybe give me a notice or something saying that we don't have to pay for parking? Seeing as how we're on an official mission for the sake of the Empire and all."

Masako laughed. "I should have known something like this would happen. You really _are_ a merchant's daughter, aren't you? Here." She grabbed a piece of scrap paper, scribbled something illegible on it, and stamped it with the royal seal.

Akemi accepted it with a grateful bow and turned to leave. As she left, she paused at the door. "With all due respect, your majesty…I am _not_ only a merchant. I am a Houshou, as well."

* * *

The trip to Numazu took a little over an hour, but was so uncomfortable it felt like ten days. Their transport ship, which fit four people comfortably, wasn't really suited for six. Kusano and Akemi were stationed in the cockpit and inadvertently caused the ship to swerve wildly at various moments, nearly tipping it over.

Numazu was a moderately sized town dominated by a series of high-rise buildings in the center. Akemi drew to a halt near the outskirts. "Do you think this is a good place to leave the ship?"

Kusano glanced around curiously. "I don't know… It's a long walk. Can Ukyo-san handle it?"

Ukyo glared at him. "Of course I can. I have you carrying my things, don't I?" Kusano's protest died in his throat as the older man handed him his rifle and spare ammunition boxes (which were promptly taken off his hands by Akemi and Kirara).

Katsushiro patted him on the shoulder sympathetically. "Don't worry. Eventually you'll be upgraded to guard duty."

They made their way into the city, guided by Ukyo's GPS. Haruka stopped them as the reached the Kita warehouse district.

"Ikemizu's base is about a mile down the road to the right. Ukyo-kun, can you get up to the roof of this building?"

She indicated a warehouse bearing a pink and green sign proclaiming it to be the Dachou Publishing Company. Ukyo took his rifle back from Kusano. "Sure."

"Great! I've been in Ikemizu's office before. It has a large window facing this way. If we maneuver him in front of the window, can you shoot him?"

Ukyo glanced at the warehouse and nodded.

Kirara glared at her. "I'm sorry. What do you mean by 'we'? Doesn't he know you've already betrayed him? Won't you be a liability to us?"

Haruka raised one dark eyebrow. "What, don't you trust me with your beloved Ukyo-kun?"

Before she could respond, Akemi grabbed her arm. "Come on, let's go. We have a usurper to kill."

* * *

Ikemizu's building proved to be a disused factory, unremarkable except for the twelve-foot-high gated fence in front of it. Haruka strode up to the gate and called out, "Tendou Haruka to see Ikemizu Michio with new recruits!" A voice buzzed from the speaker on the gatepost. "Come on in." The gate and doors opened with the whines of ancient hydraulics.

Almost immediately, they came face-to-face with a guard. He had dark skin, pale pink hair, and an eye patch over his left eye. He was wearing a tattered and stained haori that had once been gray. **(5.)** Akemi studied his face curiously as Haruka flashed her ID card. _I know him from somewhere…_ He turned, allowing her to see the dragon embroidered on the back of his haori. _That's it!_ She put a hand on her gun.

"Alright, go on—"

"You!"

He blinked in surprise as Akemi leveled her gun at his chest. "_You're_ Akira Sakuragawa. I had thought you were a girl, from what my brother said. You're the "Akira-kun" he told me about."

A grin spread across his face, only to vanish as he touched his eye patch. "Then you must be Ukyo-chan's sister. Tell me, how is your brother? He was so _pretty_ when last I saw him…"

Akemi growled. "You were his sempai. He _liked_ you. He _trusted_ you. _And you tried to rape him_. But you failed—pretty horribly, by the looks of that eye patch. I should kill you now…"

Kirara put a hand on her gun, eyes narrowing in fury. Next to her, Haruka and Katsushiro began to draw their swords. Akemi continued, watching Akira tremble with a look of satisfaction in her eyes.

"But…I will let you live a while longer. You will escort us to Ikemizu. If we are stopped by guards, or if you do not lead us directly to Ikemizu, I will let Kirara-chan and Haruka-sama at you. They are fond of my brother, too. _Then_, after they are satisfied, I will kill you. Is that understood?"

He turned very pale and nodded rapidly. "I'll just lead the way then, shall I?" Haruka grabbed him by the arm as he turned to leave.

"Let's go."

As he led them through the corridors, Kirara turned to Akemi. "When was this?"

Akemi twitched in rage. "Five years ago. My oniichan was studying under Kurosawa in the Nakuryuu school. One week he came back home and wouldn't speak. It took me some time to get him to tell me what happened. Sakuragawa was always flirting with him, but my oniichan always thought he was harmless, until one night… Well, you know what happened. He scratched Sakuragawa's eye out and ran. The bastard left after that; my oniichan never saw him again."

Kirara glared at Akira's back. _This person hurt my Ukyo…Wait. __My__ Ukyo? Yes, he is mine. And this Sakuragawa Akira will wish he had never laid a finger on him._

"We're here. Ikemizu-sama's office is right down this hall." He tried to pull away, but Haruka still had a firm hold on his arm.

"Not so fast, slime."

He gulped as he felt the barrel of a gun press against the back of his neck. "But—but you said you'd let me live! You said that! Don't merchants keep their word?"

"Akemi-san was the one who said she'd let you live. And I am not a merchant." Kirara tightened her grip on the trigger. At the last moment, though, she realized what she was doing and her eyes widened. _I can't do it. Akemi-san would…but I'm not her. I can't kill like this._

She put her gun back in her holster. There was a snapping sound, and Haruka clapped a hand over Akira's mouth to muffle his screams—she had broken his arm. Casually, she let it drop, and he ran back down the halls as fast as his legs could take him.

Haruka turned to face the rest of the group. "Come on. We have a rebel to kill." Kusano had a hand clapped to his mouth and looked decidedly green. Akemi patted him on the shoulder.

"What's the matter, Kusano-kun? He deserved worse. Calm down, okay? We have stuff to do."

He shuddered and nodded, pulling himself together. "You're right. Thank you."

* * *

Ikemizu seemed to be expecting them. He stood as they entered. "Ah, I see you changed your minds. It is good to see you again."

Haruka and Kusano bowed to him. Fixing her gaze on the floor in front of her feet, Haruka announced, "Kirara-dono and Akemi-dono have changed their minds. They bring Katsushiro Okamoto to join your ranks."

Ikemizu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You had seemed so set against me last time."

Akemi nudged Kirara, signaling her to start the little speech they had prepared on the way. Kirara smiled.

"I thought about it, and I have made my decision. I could do much more for my people as the Empress than I ever could if I stayed in my village. Besides, when I'm in the village, I have to work hard and spend my days covered in dust and sweat. As Empress, I would be surrounded by beautiful things and would never have to lift a finger."

She edged closer to him, causing him to move back—closer to the window. "Ukyo-san is a fool—he gave up power and wealth to spend the rest of his life in Kanna-mura. I'm not so foolish. Power and wealth are the keys to accomplishing great things. I have come to you because you hold the means to acquiring such power."

Ikemizu nodded. "But who will be the Emperor? Only a true scion of the Amanushi may rightfully hold the throne."

Kirara laid a hand on her stomach and smiled. "We will have a scion of the Amanushi. Until then, I will reign as regent."

* * *

Ukyo lay on the roof of the building, flat on his stomach. He was using a spare box of rifle bullets to rest Setsugekka's barrel. "Now, let's see…" _Distance is __1,609 meters__; wind speed is about ten kilometers per hour…I think… _He squinted through the scope, relieved when Ikemizu was clearly silhouetted in the crosshairs.

Tightening his grip on the gun, he began to focus his ki. Once again, the air crackled with blue sparks. _Great Benzaiten, please let this work!_

* * *

Ikemizu's eyes widened. _A child of a clone of the dead Amanushi…_ "Splendid." He turned to Akemi, who had been trying not to smirk or giggle during Kirara's speech. "And why did you change your mind, Akemi-dono?"

She shrugged. "Power, money, a chance to fight for fame and glory…what's not to like? Really, though, it's not fair that the Kougakyo laws prevent a woman from ruling. I want to change that. _I'm_ the biological child of Ayamaro, not my brother. I should rule Gunma prefecture."

Katsushiro spoke up. While Kirara and Akemi had been talking, he had edged closer to Ikemizu, causing the old man to unconsciously move back. "I am the fourth son of the Okamoto family. My older brothers took all of our late father's riches and squandered them. I will gladly serve you if it means regaining some of the wealth my family lost."

Over Ikemizu's shoulder, Kirara caught sight of a blue light. _Ukyo!_ Her water crystal began to glow in response. Akemi noticed this and smiled.

Seeing her smiling at something over his shoulder, Ikemizu turned around. A shot rang out, splintering the window and embedding itself in his head with a flash of light. As he dropped, Akemi pumped two more bullets into him.

She blew smoke off her gun, grinning. "Well, that's that. Mission objective com—"

A loud beeping interrupted her as the intercom on the wall blared. "INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT. ALL GUARDS TO AREA B-51."

Running footsteps echoed down the metal hallways.

* * *

Author's Notes

1. "Sakuzen" means "dry" or "desolate"—a fitting name for the leader of a desert city. He has two young sons and three daughters, none of whom have ever met Ukyo or Akemi. They have only recently completed the move into Ayamaro's former palace.

2. The reason for this is detailed in my oneshot "Nightmares".

3. Ukyo's sensei from the sniper school is named after Akira Kurosawa, director of the original Seven Samurai. His chant is taken from one used by kendo students.

4. Normally, channeling small amounts of ki through a gun causes it to vibrate. If more ki is used, the moving parts will glow brightly, visible through the joints. Shiny nickel-plated guns, on the other hand, serve to amplify the amount of ki, so that much less is needed to produce the ultimate rifle technique—the ability to create a particle beam cannon with a simple bullet.

5. Masters of the Nakuryuu school wear white haori with a dragon on the back. Because Akira left the school before reaching that level, he still wears the gray haori of an intermediate student.

Next Chapter

The gang has to fight their way out of Ikemizu's fortress! Will everyone make it out alive? Later, while Akemi and Kusano finally go on their date, Haruka decides that Ukyo's relationship with Kirara isn't going fast enough. Will her plan pull them together? Or will Kirara get the wrong impression? Relationships will change next time on Second Chances!


	19. Feast!

Footsteps echoed down the hall—and they were getting louder. Kirara turned to Akemi. "What do we do?"

Akemi drew Taiyokousen and slid on the spikes and blade, then set it down and did the same for Tsukikage. "Fight, of course. Haruka-chan, Katsu-kun, will you two form the advance guard?"

Katsushiro drew his sword. "Yes."

Haruka winced and put a hand to her chest. "Sure…oww."

Kirara's water crystal began glowing as she asked, "Are you alright?"

The female samurai drew her wakizashi. "Yes…I'm fine. These stupid scars just ache sometimes. Why are you looking at me? Shouldn't you be loading your gun?"

"Oh, right!" Kirara fumbled her revolver as she loaded the cylinder. Akemi and Haruka looked at each other and heaved dramatic sighs.

Kusano glanced around. The window was shattered, and Ikemizu's blood was soaking into the carpet. _I really shouldn't be here…I'm not suited for this_. "What should…_I_…do?"

Akemi laid a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Kirara-chan can't move very well in those clothes, and her defense sucks, so you'll have to guard her. Okay? I know you can do it."

He blushed. "Akemi-sa—"

The door was shoved open.

The first guard to enter the room was cut down by Haruka with a single slash to the throat. She stepped on his body to force her way out the door, followed by Katsushiro and Akemi. Together, the trio carved a bloody path through the unfortunate rebels.

Kirara and Kusano followed in their wake. Kirara was trembling slightly, and Kusano had a hand clapped over his mouth again.

"Kusano-san, are you alright?"

He managed a weak laugh. "I wouldn't be so unnerved if Akemi-san and Haruka-sama weren't _laughing_ as they kill people."

Kirara tightened her grip on Suigetsu, scanning the area to be absolutely sure their friends hadn't missed any guards. "That's just how Akemi-san is. I don't think she's entirely sane when she fights…"

They caught up to them at an intersection. Katsushiro was glancing around in confusion. "Which way did we come from earlier? This place is like a maze."

Kirara shrieked in surprise as a bullet ricocheted off the wall next to her ear. Deadpan, Haruka replied, "Not that way."

The guards rushed upon them. From then, all was confusion. Kirara flattened herself against the wall. A guard that had been aiming a gun at her was brutally cut down by Katsushiro, who spared her a quick glance before wheeling to dispatch another one. A guard penetrated Haruka's defenses to land a glancing cut to her side before she sliced open her attacker. She heard Akemi laughing as her headband was knocked off and she went into a fury, causing Kusano to stare at her.

"Ummm…Kirara-san…is that normal?"

The water priestess didn't get a chance to reply. A glint of steel caught her eye, and she instinctively fired at it. The guard who had been brandishing a short sword dropped, as did the two men behind her. Another swung at Kusano; he cried out as the knife bit into his forearm. With a snarl of fury, Akemi brought Tsukikage to bear in a move that sliced the man's throat open.

All was quiet. Akemi knelt to retrieve her headband, calmly adjusting it until it fell into its proper spot on her head. Haruka and Katsushiro wiped their swords on the clothes of the fallen guards. Kusano slowly reached for the female gunslinger.

"Akemi-san? Are you…are you alright now?"

She flashed him a bright smile. "Never better. I just get a little upset when I lose my headband. It was a gift from my sensei, you see. Are you okay?"

He winced and looked at his arm. "This really hurts. Does it look bad to you?"

She shook her head as she went to Kirara's side. Her friend was staring mutely at the bodies of the three guards, her smoking revolver still held in both hands.

"Kirara-chan? Kirara-chan, are you alright?"

* * *

Ukyo calmly packed up his gun and stood up, careful to flatten himself against the chimney. _Hmm. Can I get down the same way I came up?_ He looked down into the back alley he had originally entered by. Seeing that the coast was clear, he jumped down…

And came face-to-face with a young girl in a newsboy cap and green smock. She was holding a large garbage bag in both hands and staring openmouthed at him. "Ah…you…"

Thinking fast, he offered her a disarming smile. "I was just on an official mission from the Amanushi. Had to check the layout of some of the new buildings. After all, we can't have a violation of zoning laws so close to the capital itself, can we? I'm sorry to have startled you, miss. I'll just be going now."

She continued to gawk at the scarred man with guns strapped to his waist and back who had jumped from the roof of a 5-story building and landed on his feet without any ill effects. "I…ummm…"

He grinned at her as he turned to walk away. "And close your mouth before the flies get in."

Once he was several blocks away, he stopped and leaned against the side of a building. _That was nerve-wracking. I don't know what I would have done if she'd screamed._

He continued on his way to Ikemizu's warehouse, keeping an eye on his GPS. _I hope Kirara and everyone else is alright._

Several blocks away, he collided with a young man, who cried out in pain and doubled over. Ukyo glanced at him curiously. "Are you alright?"

The man clutched his arm. "My arm…this crazy samurai girl broke it. I didn't even do anything to her! And one of her friends was going to kill me!" He looked up at Ukyo. "Oh…"

Ukyo's eyes narrowed. The pink hair, the missing eye… "Akira-sempai." The man blinked as a gun was leveled an inch away from his nose. "You tried to rape me."

Akira blanched. "It was years ago! I was drunk! And you're so pretty…" Trembling, he dropped to his knees and reached for him.

Ukyo sighed and shook his head, putting his gun away. "I don't have time for you now. There's something more important for me to do." Calmly, he walked around the other man, leaving him in the street alone.

* * *

Kirara stared at the fallen guards in shock. _They're dead…they're dead, and I killed them. And… _"I didn't mean to," she whispered. _Those two…at least, I didn't mean to kill them!_ One of the male guards had an almost surprised look on his face—the parts that weren't a mess from the bullet, at least. The woman had died with her eyes open and staring up at the ceiling. _Inari-sama, Benzaiten-sama…please have mercy on me._

Akemi grabbed her shoulder and shook it. "Hey, Kirara-chan, snap out of it. We have to go."

Kirara shivered and turned around, eyes unfocused and gazing blindly ahead. Mechanically, she took a speedloader from her belt and reloaded the cylinder. **(1.)**

They ran into more guards along the way. Kirara stared blankly at the carnage, only moving when Akemi or Katsushiro took her by the arm. _So much death…so much blood. And I…I helped make it this way._

Finally, they exited into the bright afternoon sun. Akemi glanced around. "Haru-chan, do you see my brother anywhere?"

Before Haruka could respond, Ukyo strode into view. He broke into a run as he came closer. "Is everyone alright?"

"Akemi-sama and I are unharmed, but Kusano-san has a cut on his arm and Haruka-dono has a scratch on her side. And Kirara-dono…" Katsushiro trailed off uncertainly.

Ukyo turned to Kirara, noticing her blank expression. "Kirara-kun?"

She didn't respond, staring at the ground instead.

"Kirara, what happened?"

She looked up, and Ukyo's heart wrenched at the lost expression in her eyes. "I killed people," she whispered, and fainted.

Ukyo caught her in his arms before she hit the ground. _Not again. At least it's not my fault this time._ **(2.)**

* * *

"Oniichan! I think she's coming around!"

Kirara's eyes slowly opened, to focus on the ceiling of their ship's cabin. Akemi sat on the floor by the head of the futon, only to jump to her feet as the door opened.

"Glad to see you're awake, Kirara-chan. I'll just be going now…Katsu-san's trying to pilot this thing, so I'm a little worried." She slipped out around Ukyo as he walked in.

"Kirara? Are you feeling better?"

Ukyo knelt by her side and stiffened when she buried her head in his shoulder. He wrapped her arms around her tightly as she trembled.

"I _killed_ people! They're dead! I…I fired without even thinking about it. Three people…they're all dead. I only thought—I don't know what I thought. That I could just shoot to wound one…and I killed two men who were just standing there! I…I…" She broke into tears, sobbing into his shirt.

He let her cry. When her sobs abated to sniffles, he asked, "And what would have happened if you hadn't shot them?"

She looked up at him. The tracks of tears were visible on her cheeks. _If I hadn't…?_ "They would still be alive."

"And what would they have done to you and our friends?"

She blinked. "They…would have tried to kill us..."

The corners of Ukyo's mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile. "You see? If it's in self-defense, you really can't blame yourself. It's not as though you _wanted_ them to try to kill you."

She looked away from him, blinking back tears. "I…I am the senior mikumari of Kanna-mura. In order to retain that position…I must remain pure. In soul and in--body." She turned red. Ukyo coughed and pretended to be very interested in the pattern of rivets on the floor.

A change of topic was clearly in order. "Umm…so! We're almost back to Hamamatsu. Do you want to make the report to the Amanushi or should we let Haruka-san do it?"

Kirara flinched at the mention of Haruka. "Why not you? You're used to addressing nobles and royalty, aren't you?"

Ukyo winced. "Considering I have more of a claim to the throne than he does, I don't really want the Amanushi to remember I exist. And besides, now that I abdicated, Haruka-san outranks us."

* * *

"Ah, I see." Mitsuyuki gave them a benevolent smile. "You have eradicated a serious threat to the Empire. Such a wondrous event deserves a celebration, doesn't it, Katsushiro-sama?"

Katsushiro blinked and turned red at being directly addressed by the Emperor. "Yes, my lord, I suppose so."

Mitsuyuki beamed. "Excellent! In two days' time, we will have a feast to celebrate your great deeds. If anyone has any particular diet in mind, you can ask one of the servants to take you to the kitchens and speak to the chef. You may go."

Akemi cheered, jumping up from her seat on the floor to bow to Mitsuyuki. "Thank you, Amanushi-sama!"

He chuckled. "You're welcome, Akemi-san."

As they left, Akemi turned to Kusano. "How's your arm?"

Kusano shrugged, rubbing it absentmindedly. "Not bad. Kirara-san fixed it up good."

She smiled. "I'm glad…"

"So where do you want to go?"

A blank look was Akemi's reply. He sighed. "On our date? I asked you out for dinner, remember? It's getting around that time now."

Akemi blushed and stared at the floor. "Umm…yeah, I saw a nice noodle place on our way here…maybe we could go there?"

* * *

Haruka was sitting in her room, polishing her swords. She idly ran her fingers over the reddish-purple wrappings on the hilt of her katana. _Seiyoku…Ukyo bought me this, so I named it after what he was the first person to make me feel._ **(3.)** _But as for his Kirara… _She fell backwards, flopping onto the floor. _She's the mikumari of her village, but even so, she's so polite and gentle and innocent that it almost makes me sick. And Ukyo's so in love with her, he barely even tries to get into her pants. They'll never go any farther than they do now…_ An idea occurred to her, and her eyes lit up. _Unless I give them a little push._

Meanwhile, Ukyo was sitting in his room, idly paging through a book on the Muromachi Era that some previous occupant had left. His thoughts, however, was focused on Kirara. _Kirara…why does this always happen to us? Every time it looks as though we can go just a little farther, we're interrupted. I don't know what to do… She's the mikumari. I know that. Her village depends on her. I don't even know if she really wants me in that way…But I…_ He threw the book down and groaned. _Really, is it so wrong to want to have sex with your girlfriend?_

"Something on your mind, Ukyo-kun?"

Ukyo jumped. Haruka stood in the doorway. She sat down next to him, resting a hand on his thigh; his efforts to move away were thwarted by the small couch they occupied. "Haruka-san. What are you doing here?"

She smirked, idly drumming her fingers on his leg. "I just wanted to see how my dear Ukyo was doing. You know, you never call me 'Haru-chan' anymore…"

"Hmmph. Could you kindly remove your hand from my thigh?"

Her smirk disappeared as she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "You know…that little priestess of yours will never satisfy you." She moved her hand higher, and was gratified to feel him shiver. "You need someone with more experience. Someone who knows…_exactly_ what you like."

Ukyo's face was slightly flushed. He growled, "Haruka-sama. Remove. Your. Hand. _Now_."

"Hmmm…I don't think so."

His eyes narrowed.

Sighing dramatically, Haruka stood up and pulled her hair out of its jeweled hair clip. "Fine, then. But let me help you a little."

* * *

Kirara stood outside Ukyo's room, quietly seething. _That Haruka…I knew I couldn't trust her with my Ukyo. Now she's in there with him… And I'm such a coward, I can't even work up the courage to open the door and confront her._ Tears appeared in the corners of her eyes as she turned away. _Such a coward…I can't even follow my own feelings._

She was almost back to her room when Haruka left Ukyo's room, flushed and grinning. Her hair had fallen out of its usual severe twist and brushed her shoulders. And—worst of all—she was adjusting the front of her kimono. She pretended to be surprised at finding Kirara outside Ukyo's room. "Oh, Kirara-chan! Did you want a go at him too? I'm sure he'd still be up for it."

Kirara's eyes narrowed. "What did you do with Ukyo-san?"

Haruka adopted a dreamy, wistful look. "Nothing that he didn't want, you may be sure of that. After all, a guy has his needs, and since you won't fulfill them…"

The water priestess snarled low in her throat, unconsciously reaching for her gun. "I want to! I want to fulfill those "needs"! I love him! But I'm the _mikumari_ and I can't have _sex_ and it's not _fair_ and _what did you do?!_"

The samurai's face turned serious. "Nothing. Seriously, I did nothing. You can ask him if you don't believe me. You know he won't lie to you." Calmly, as she turned to walk away towards her quarters, she threw back, "Oh, by the way…you might want to tell Ukyo-kun what you just told me. Although I'm sure with how loud you were, he's already heard it."

Kirara turned pale and ran back to her room. In his own room, Ukyo—who had been listening with his ear pressed to the door—sat down on the floor with a thud, grinning. _Kirara-kun does want me._

* * *

Kusano sighed and pushed his chair back so he could get up. "What did you think of the food, Akemi-san?"

Akemi nodded; she was still ripping off chunks of bread from her dinner roll and dunking them in the sauce that came with her chicken. "The chicken wasn't that great, the noodles were pretty good, and I _demand_ the recipe for this sauce."

Kusano chuckled. "Yeah, I thought it was pretty good too."

The girl glanced at her watch and stood up. "It's getting kind of late…maybe we should start heading back."

The waiter reappeared at their table silently. "The check, sir." They both glanced at it. Akemi pulled open her bag. "Lemme see…I think I can spring for half…" Kusano took out his wallet and slapped a few bills down. "There, that should cover it. Come on, let's go."

She blushed as they walked out of the restaurant and made their way back to the palace. "Aww, you didn't have to do that. We could have split the tab."

He tried to look casual as he took her arm. "Well, I'm the one with a job. So I should pay."

She slipped her arm out of his grasp, only to wrap it around his waist, grinning up at him. "You're a great guy, Takashi-kun." He turned bright red.

"Ummm…you really think so?"

Akemi chuckled. "Now you're just fishing for compliments."

The gates on the palace loomed large at the end of the road. Akemi stopped, fidgeting slightly and staring at her feet. "Takashi-kun?"

He stared at her. The streetlight above their heads made her earrings—shaped like little bullets—sparkle. **(4.) **"Yeah?"

She looked up at him; her face was red. "I really like you."

Kusano felt the same about her. So when she straightened up to kiss him, he kissed her back.

* * *

"The sky over Shikagawa—" _Click._ "Goooooaaaaal!" _Click._ "This song goes out to Rie of Kougakyo from her boyfriend Hiro…" _Click._

Shino winced as, distracted by the radio, she stabbed herself with her needle again. "Komachi-san, please turn that down. I'm working on something for your sister."

Komachi bounded over to peek over the elder girl's shoulder. "Wow, it looks great! Do you think it'll fit him?"

She shrugged. "I hope so, but I made it a bit bigger just in case."

The girls heard the loud whine of machinery and ran out of the village meeting house. Shino folded her sewing neatly on the floor before she left. A purple cruiser was grinding to a halt in the street, where a large crowd had gathered. Komachi gawked at it.

One young man—presumably the pilot—helped another to climb the ladder to the ground. He called out, "We are on a mission from the Imperial capital! Will Shino-sama and Komachi-sama please step up?"

Shino held Komachi's hand for reassurance. "That's us. I'm Shino and this is Komachi."

The other man beamed. "Wonderful! We were sent to bring you to the capital for a feast being held in a days' time. Katsushiro-dono and Kirara-dono are looking forward to your arrival."

Shino frowned. "We'll never get there in time."

The pilot grinned and slung an arm around the shoulders of his companion. "Go pack your things. If we leave right away, our ship's Y-801 engines will get you there in no time!" **(5.)**

* * *

Katsushiro stared at the sky, oblivious to Ukyo settling himself on the couch with a book. _It's been two days since the Amanushi sent those couriers to pick up Shino and Komachi-chan. The feast is in an hour and they're still not back. Where are they?_

"Right through here, young miss. I will return for you in an hour."

Katsushiro turned around to see the door slide open as a maid waved Shino and Komachi into the room. His face lit up, but he was careful not to betray too much emotion. "Shino-san, I'm glad to see you. And Komachi-chan, too."

Komachi flung herself into Ukyo's arms with a cry of "Ukyo-niichan!" He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "I'm glad to see you too. Your sister is in her room, just down the hall and to the left. I think she and my friend Haruka-san are trying to convince my sister to do something with her hair. Let's go see what chaos has been wreaked, huh?" And they left, leaving Katsushiro and Shino alone.

She closed the door behind her and ran into his arms. "I missed you. I was so worried…"

He sighed and held her tighter. "I'm fine. I wasn't injured. And I missed you too—very much so."

She pulled away and glanced at the clock before turning back to him with a grin. "Maybe you could show me how much."

* * *

In the main dining hall of the Imperial palace, a long table had been set with food—noodles, rice, chicken, steak, pork, and all manners of vegetables and seafood. Mitsuyuki sat at the head of the table, with his wife on his right and his children on his left. Komachi had somehow wound up seated next to his youngest and only boy, Prince Michio, who was giggling at something she had said.

A few seats down, Ukyo leaned across the table to his sister. "Look at Komachi-chan and the young prince! They're getting along well, aren't they?"

Akemi stopped attacking her plate of trout and rice to nod furiously. Next to her, Kusano shrugged. "Well, I'm sure the Amanushi can't object to his son getting involved with the sister of a national hero."

Kirara blushed, edging closer to Ukyo. "They're just kids. And besides, whoever heard of a peasant Empress?"

Ukyo smiled at her. "I would have made you my Empress; you know that. Besides, the boy probably won't be the Emperor—the laws in Hamamatsu state that the oldest _child_ inherits, and he has two older sisters."

Kirara turned back to her food, still blushing. _I don't want to be your Empress. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you._

The feast lasted for hours. Shino, who at first had been unsure of what to do with the cutlery presented to her, had managed not to drop anything on the way to her mouth—a good thing, since she was oddly more hungry than usual. Akemi, unsurprisingly, got tipsy sometime between the main course and the dessert, and started singing quietly to herself. Kusano had somehow gotten into a discussion with the Amanushi about upgrading the machinery in the kitchens, a conversation which was still ongoing as the dishes were cleared away and everyone got up to leave.

As Kirara made her way back to her room—carefully, as she had just drank two glasses of wine—Ukyo walked by her side. When they reached the middle of the bridge, he stopped. "Kirara?"

"Yes?"

He tilted her face up, gazing into her eyes. "I love you. I really love you."

She grinned and kissed him soundly. He wrapped his arms around her waist. When they came up for air, she blinked at the expression on his face. He almost looked…nervous?

"Kirara…ummm…that is, I…aaargh, I had such a nice speech prepared too! What it all comes down to is…" He took her hand in both of his.

"Will you marry me?"

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Speedloaders are used in revolvers to lessen loading time. Finding speedloaders that will hold seven bullets isn't easy, so Kirara only has two—she puts new bullets in them as necessary. Otherwise, she would have to waste time loading Suigetsu manually.

2. Ukyo is thinking both of the second episode of the series, when Tessai knocked Kirara out, and of chapter 9, when Kirara killed Shigeo Hirosegawa to save him.

3. "Seiyoku" means "lust" or "desire". The matched wakizashi is "Aiyoku", which means "love", "passion", or "lust." Haruka's old katana was broken in battle, so Ukyo bought her a new one.

4. Akemi's always had these earrings, but since she's usually fighting she's never had a chance to wear them. (I actually have seen earrings like this, by the way.)

5. The pilot and copilot hanging all over each other should have tipped you off. "801" is a term sometimes used to refer to yaoi: 8 (**ya**ttsu) 0 (**o**) 1 (**i**chi).

Next Chapter

Wow, Ukyo's really dropped the bomb this time! What will Kirara's response be? And later, Shino has some important news for Katsushiro! The series ends with a bang in the last chapter of Second Chances!


	20. Marry!

Kirara stared at him in shock. _Marry Ukyo…? Yes! But…_ "We…really haven't, umm…"

He turned red. "I know we haven't been together for that long…but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And so…ummm…" He trailed off and turned to stare out at the water, blinking rapidly. _I should have known it was too soon to ask her. Why did I think this was a good idea? Of course she wouldn't want to marry me…_

She began to smile. "Yes."

Snapped out of his self-pitying reverie, he blinked at her. "'Yes'? Yes, what?"

Her face lit up. "Yes, Ukyo. I'll marry you."

Ukyo pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat. _This is who I love. This is the man who is perfect for me…and I will stay with him until the day I die._

They were still standing like that, silently, as Akemi made her way over the bridge hanging on to Kusano's arm. She grinned broadly as she saw them.

"Heeey, oniichan! Why're you grinnin' like an idiot for? Finally get laid?"

Ukyo shook his head, beaming. Kirara pulled away from his embrace reluctantly to inform her friend of the truth. "He asked me to marry him. And I said yes."

Akemi cheered and swept Kirara up into a tight hug. Shino and Katsushiro, who had been walking a little ways behind Kusano, stared at each other. Shino, for some reason, blushed. Katsushiro left his girlfriend's side and approached Ukyo with a serious expression on his face. The former merchant flinched until Katsushiro bowed deeply.

"I thought I was in love with Kirara-dono, once. I hated you then. But as I've come to know you better…well, you can still be pretty annoying, but you're not that bad, and I know Kirara-dono loves you. I hope you two are happy together." The young samurai straightened up and met Ukyo's eyes, adding, "But if you harm her, I _will_ kill you, no matter what she says."

Ukyo smiled and bowed to him in return. "Have no fear of that."

"What's with the hugging and the bowing?"

Kirara would have flinched at Haruka's approach, but she was being hugged simultaneously by both of her best friends—and her sister, who had been trailing Katsushiro—and could barely move with Akemi's arms around her shoulders. The female samurai directed her cool gaze towards Ukyo, who flushed red and stared back at her.

"I—I asked Kirara-kun to marry me. She agreed."

Haruka sighed happily. "Finally! Best of luck to you, Ukyo-kun." She turned to where Kirara was being hugged and unceremoniously wrapped her arms around both Kirara and Akemi. The mikumari squeaked in surprise. Haruka chuckled and pulled her closer. "Congratulations. As I'm one of Ukyo's former concubines, I should let you know…" She let go of Akemi and motioned for Shino and Komachi to step back as she dropped her voice to a whisper in Kirara's ear. After a bit, she stepped back, grinning smugly.

Ukyo blanched as he watched Kirara's face go red. "Haruka-san…what did you tell her?"

Haruka's grin widened. "Nothing. Nothing you don't already _know_, anyway…"

"Haruka-sama!"

"What? Oh, and you still owe me a sparring match sometime."

He sighed and shook his head. _I don't want to fight a woman, but I guess she'll never give up otherwise._ "Sure. Maybe after the wedding."

* * *

The ship lurched from side to side as it sped towards Kanna-mura—a direct result of letting Akemi and Kusano pilot it together. Kirara, Shino and Komachi were sitting in the cargo hold.

Shino sighed wistfully as she looked at Kirara. "I can't believe you're getting married."

She smiled. "Neither can I. By the way, Shino-chan…how's that project coming along?"

Shino beamed. "Wonderful. Komachi-san's been helping me, so we're almost done…but, Kirara-san, are you sure about those measurements?"

Kirara frowned, thinking. "I took them from one of Satoru-san's old shirts. They're about the same size."

Komachi piped up, "Can't we just ask him?"

"Ask who what?"

Kirara twitched in surprise and shook her head at Shino and Komachi, motioning to them not to say anything as Ukyo stepped down the stairs. Thinking quickly, she replied, "Nothing, nothing."

Shino shrugged. "We were just talking…about me and Katsushiro-sama. Girly things; nothing for you to worry about."

Ukyo raised one eyebrow. "If you say so. I left him cleaning that oversized knife of his on the back deck—just in case you want to talk _to_ him instead of _about_ him. Oh, and Kirara-kun? I kind of wanted to talk to you…" He stared at the floor and mumbled something under his breath.

Shino blushed and crossed the hold to the stairs. "Umm…I'll just go upstairs then. Komachi-san, come upstairs with me and get some fresh air." They left, leaving Kirara and Ukyo alone.

She felt her face heat up. "…You said you wanted to talk to me? Is this about our wedding?" _If he calls it off because he's got cold feet…_

Ukyo met her gaze. "This is probably going to sound like a stupid question, but…umm…what do you _do_ for weddings in Kanna-mura?"

She began to giggle out of sheer relief. He watched her warily until her laughter subsided and she responded. "The man has to ask permission from the woman's father before the wedding can take place. In my case, since my parents are dead, you would ask my grandmother instead. Then, once Gisaku-dono gives his permission, the adults in the village begin to build a separate house for the new couple. The wedding takes place once the house is finished. There are some things that are different from a typical wedding—none of us can afford the traditional betrothal gifts, after all. **(1.)** Satoru-san and Fujiko-san are going to be married next week; you'll see then."

A faint smile appeared on Ukyo's face. "Finally; I was starting to think they'd be engaged for the rest of their lives."

She chuckled. "Now you're just being silly. You were helping build their new house, remember?"

"If by 'helping build a house', you mean 'bringing the workers tools and food', then yes, I suppose you could say I did help." **(2.) **He frowned and twined his hair around his fingers, thinking. "There was something else I wanted to tell you…Oh, right! They won't exactly be traditional, but if the Amanushi honors his promise, you'll still get betrothal gifts."

Kirara blinked, taken aback. _I remember…right before we left, Ukyo and Katsushiro were talking to the Emperor about something, but I wasn't close enough to hear what it was. _"What are you talking about?"

He grinned. "Hopefully, you'll see in a few weeks."

* * *

Katsushiro was running a rag soaked in metal cleaner down the back of his sword. The sunlight reflected back from the blade was so bright that for a moment it almost looked to Shino as though there were two suns. He looked up and smiled at her approach.

She did not return his smile as she sat down next to him. "Katsushiro… I have something very important to tell you."

He winced. _This can't be good._ "Yes?"

"Ummmm…" She blushed and lowered her voice. "I…think I might be…pregnant."

"_What?!_"

She pressed a finger to his lips. "Not so loud! I haven't told anybody else yet—I thought you should be the first to know. I'm not even a hundred percent sure I really _am_ pregnant…but if I am…" She trailed off, shivering slightly.

She flinched in surprise as he wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "I'll stay with you. Did you think I was going to abandon you?"

"The thought…had crossed my mind, yes."

His voice hardened, and he tightened his embrace. "I would _never_ do that. You are the most important person in my life, Shino. I risked death, or at least severe pain, for you, and I _will not_ abandon you just because you're pregnant!"

She leaned back in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."

"…Shino-san's _pregnant?!_"

Shino groaned; Katsushiro winced. Komachi had been sitting in the sun on the front deck, and their voices had evidently carried to her. Now she stood in front of them, looking curious. "Are you really?"

Shino rubbed her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on. "I think so. I'm not sure yet, so please don't tell anyone…"

Komachi grinned. "Ooooh, Katsu-noji, you're gonna be in so much trouble when Manzo-san finds out!"

"Komachi-san, not so loud!"

"You're pregnant?"

They flinched again. Apparently, Komachi's outburst had attracted the attentions of Kirara and Ukyo as the latter pair made their way up the stairs. The mikumari's eyes were wide with shock.

Ukyo's eyes, on the other hand, narrowed in fury. "Katsushiro." The younger man cringed, expecting a blow, but Ukyo turned away from him and wrenched open the cockpit door. "Akemi-chan, we have to make a detour to Kougakyo."

His sister glared at him, pulling away from Kusano. "For what?"

Ukyo sighed and shook his head in disgust. "A pregnancy test for Shino-san…and a _shotgun_ for me. I think Katsu-kun might need some…incentives."

Akemi choked, rather spectacularly, on her own spit. When she regained her breath, she marched out of the cockpit, grabbed Katsushiro by the collar, and shook him hard, berating him in a voice that grew steadily louder with each shake. "You! You _dog_! You better _grovel_ when Manzo-san finds out, or I swear to Benzaiten I'll be using you for _target practice_! Is that _PERFECTLY CLEAR?_"

He nodded rapidly, fearing his teeth were about to be rattled out of his skull. She dropped him and marched back into the cockpit. "To Kougakyo it is, then."

* * *

Safe in the bathroom of Jiro's Drug and General Store, Shino stared at her pregnancy test. A tiny strip of paper, that was all it was. _A tiny strip of paper that will determine my relationship with Katsushiro._

She had already taken it. She threw it into the trash bin on her way out.

Akemi was waiting on the other side of the door. Under her breath, she asked, "Well?"

Shino smiled nervously. "I…I'm pregnant…I think. It turned blue, so…"

The other girl patted her shoulder awkwardly. "Congratulations, I guess. Do you want me to make a doctor's appointment for you?"

Shino gulped. "Umm…I don't know. We have Kirara-san and Komachi-san…and the older women of the village. I'm—I'm sure I can manage."

"If you say so."

Kirara was sitting on an uncomfortable plastic chair next to the pharmaceuticals when the other girls rejoined her. "…How did it go, Shino-san?"

Shino blushed, feeling horribly guilty. _I don't like to do this, but…_ "I'm pregnant."

Kirara's eyes narrowed and she glared down the aisle to where Katsushiro and Ukyo stood. The younger man was turning red while Ukyo shook a finger in his face. She couldn't hear their words, but guessed from the sign at the near end of the aisle that it had something to do with condoms. Shino followed her line of sight and blushed again. It was Akemi, though, who spoke.

"Katsu-kun should have followed my oniichan's advice and bought those condoms the last time he was here."

Shino decided it was time to change the subject. "Akemi-san, where did Kusano-san go?"

Akemi hung her head miserably. "Back home. He _says_ he'll write, and that I can stop by any time, but you know how guys are. They'll forget anything if they aren't reminded every five seconds. Which is why you should carve your wedding date into the wall of your new house."** (3.)**

"…Are you going to get married?"

Shino flinched at the unexpected question. Kirara had not turned to look at her; she was still gazing down the aisle to where the men were paying for their purchases. Slowly, she repeated her question. "I said, are you going to get married? And if you are, is it because you love Katsushiro-sama, or just because he's the father of your child?"

She fixed her gaze on the linoleum floor. "I love Katsushiro-san, and that is why I want to marry him. Not because…not because I'm pregnant."

Kirara smiled faintly. "That's a good reason."

* * *

The next day, Ukyo prostrated himself before the village elder and Kaede, Kirara's grandmother. "I want to marry Kirara."

Gisaku snorted. "Does _she_ want to marry _you_?"

From the shadows, Kirara spoke up. "Yes."

Kaede beamed. "Then I wish you all the happiness in the world. Such a fine young man I will have for my grandson-in-law!"

Ukyo blushed from the unexpected praise and risked a glance upward to Gisaku. The old man was deep in thought.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, he spoke. "You're terrible at farming, can barely lift a hammer without bringing it down on your foot, and your attempts at transplanting rice are better left unmentioned. _But_…now that we no longer need to fear the Nobuseri, we need someone who can trade our rice in Kougakyo and keep the books for us. Although it pains me to give our senior Mikumari away in marriage…I will give my permission."

Ukyo grinned. Through the thin walls, those inside heard Akemi and Komachi cheering.

Everyone except Gisaku left; Ukyo nearly walked into Manzo, Shino and Katsushiro, who were on their way in. Manzo was glaring at the boy with thinly-disguised loathing, and Ukyo settled himself down next to Komachi to hear the conversation. "This should be…interesting."

Kirara sighed. "Go ahead; indulge your passion for gossip. I will be helping Grandmother with dinner." Underneath her breath, she added, "Honestly, you're as bad as those girls sometimes."

Ukyo somehow managed to arrange his features into an expression of mortal indignation. "Gossip? My dear Kirara, I merely wish to find out what Manzo-san has to say about his daughter's circumstances—before anyone else, of course."

As Kirara left, an explosion of inarticulate fury burst through the walls; evidently Katsushiro and Shino had managed to apprise her father of her condition.

* * *

A month later, with the wedding looming, Shino sat in Kirara's house, drinking tea. Her hands trembled as she set the cup down, and Kirara's eyes narrowed.

"Are you alright?"

Shino flinched. "Y-yes…I'm fine. Just a little nervous about my wedding."

"But not the baby?"

Shino refused to meet her friend's gaze. Kirara continued. "…You're not really pregnant, are you? I thought it was strange when you wouldn't let the midwife see you."

The other girl shuddered violently. "Kirara-san…please. Please don't tell anyone. I want to marry Katsushiro so badly! But you know how my father is. Unless there was something material, something truly _important_, he would never let me get married."

Kirara nodded. _If my future with Ukyo was at stake…I don't know that I wouldn't do the same thing._ "I won't tell anyone. But answer me this. Why did you keep a secret like that from Katsushiro? Don't you trust him?"

Shino blushed. "Actually…he knows. I told him right after my father gave his permission for us to marry. He was a little upset, but he knows that it was the only way."

The soon-to-be former water priestess smiled faintly. "I will take care of the rest of the villagers. Once the wedding is over—that's in a week, right?—I will tell them you suffered a miscarriage. At this stage, they won't be able to contradict me."

A commotion outside drew their attention before Shino could thank her. They ran out into the street to find a group of burly men surrounding Gisaku, deep in conversation with him. Ukyo and Katsushiro were standing nearby; the older man looked infuriatingly smug. Kirara approached her fiancé suspiciously.

"What are you so happy about?"

Ukyo beamed. "Your betrothal gifts. These men are here from the capital to hook the village up with free electricity from the generators in Kougakyo. No more endlessly searching for firewood, or having to spend half of our profits from rice on oil for lamps. And when any of the lights burn out, they'll send people to replace them."

Kirara blushed brightly. "I…I don't really know what to say. Thank you for arranging this."

Ukyo pulled her into a tight hug. "I know you love this village. So do I. It seemed right for our betrothal gift to be a gift for the whole village."

* * *

It was fall now. The few leaves that remained on the trees were red and gold and brown. In their new house—smaller than nearly all the others, but well-made and elegant—Ukyo was trying on the set of Kanna peasants' clothes Kirara had made for him.

He stretched slowly. The cotton was slightly rough, but not unpleasantly so. The red trim on his jacket had a distinctly purplish cast, and he smiled at this. "Nice color."

"It almost matches your eyes. How does it feel?"

Ukyo grinned and plunked himself down on the floor next to his fiancée. "Very comfortable. I feel kind of silly in the wrist bands, though."

Kirara giggled. _I have to admit, he does look rather silly with the arm- and legbands all the village men wear._ "You can take them off after the ceremony. I'll see you in a few hours—the other women in the village have to do the bride's hair and clothes before the wedding." And so she left.

Ukyo was alone. He flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. We've come so far. _It's been over a year since the attack on Kanna. I've fought machine samurai, beaten Shimada Kanbei, gained favor with the Amanushi himself…and gained the love of the person who means the most to me in this world. And now I'm getting married. It doesn't seem real._ He pinched the skin on the back of his hand as hard as he could. It hurt. _But I suppose it is._

To distract himself, he went over the guest list in his head. _Kusano-kun, of course. Then Amami-sensei and Toshiki-sama…it's too bad Kyoichi-kun can't make it, but his girlfriend just had a baby._ He smiled as he remembered the wedding gift his "brother" and his girlfriend had sent; a beautiful pendant of carved amber for Kirara. _And all the villagers as well._

He rolled over on his side, staring at the rough planks that made up the walls. At first, he had offered to help, but Rikichi had refused to let him anywhere near the building, saying that they had enough men working on it. He knew the older man was right—he was woefully inept with any tool unless it pertained to guns—but it had still stung to be brushed off. He had to admit, however, that they had done a wonderful job. The house had been wired for electricity. The roof was watertight, and there was just enough room for the two of them and their things. They might have to add on to the house once the children came along, though.

He had been half-asleep before, but that thought startled him fully awake. _Children? Me?_ He shuddered. _Maybe in a few years, as long as we're more careful than Katsu-kun and Shino were. I still can't believe she miscarried like that…rather convenient that it happened barely two weeks after the wedding._

He shut his eyes. _Maybe I'll take just a little nap…_

He was shaken awake by Katsushiro. "Come on, get up! The ceremony's about to start."

Ukyo leapt to his feet. "Aaagh! Where? Now? How's my hair? Are my clothes wrinkled? Have the special guests arrived yet? Amami-sensei's gonna kill me if I miss my own wedding…"

Katsushiro sighed. "Calm down. Kusano-san is with Akemi-sama, and Tatsuko-dono and Toshiki-sama are waiting in the village square with everyone else."

Ukyo nearly knocked the young samurai over in his haste to be out the door.

Kirara stood in the center of the square, surrounded by the married women of the village as they fussed over her hair. She was so nervous she thought she might scream, and she found herself wishing she had Suigetsu at her side, just to let off some steam.

Ukyo stared at her. Everything else seemed to melt away, even sound; he was aware only of his own heart pounding. Kirara was beautiful. She wore a shining kimono of multiple shades of blue and gray, and the silver threads used for the embroidery rippled like water. Her hair had been done up in an elaborate style, held in place by metal pins and a carved wooden comb. All that paled in comparison, though, to the love he saw in her eyes. Love for him.

Suddenly, he felt horribly unworthy.

Before he could form a coherent thought, he was being shoved in her direction, and found himself walking over to stand by her side, in front of Kaede and a trembling Komachi. The new mikumari's hands trembled as she poured a glass of sake for each of them. "If you swear to be true to each other throughout your lives, you may drink."

Ukyo raised it to his lips and took a small sip before setting it down again. Kirara smiled at him before doing the same.

Komachi raised her voice slightly. "If you swear to never forsake one another, to guide each other throughout the twists and turns of life, you may drink."

Another sip. Ukyo's hands were trembling. In the crowd, he saw Tatsuko leaning against Toshiki's shoulder and sighing wistfully.

"If you swear to honor the gods and your ancestors, you may drink."

The last sip. Kirara gave a sigh of relief as she set the cup down.

The ceremony was over. Komachi looked at her sister anxiously as the crowd began to mingle. "Did I do okay?"

Kirara smiled at her before taking Ukyo's hand. "Yes, you did wonderfully. You'll make a great mikumari. Now come on, we're the guests of honor."

Ukyo pulled her closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He grinned as he asked, "Can't we just skip the party?"

She poked him in the ribs. "It took two hours to get this kimono on, and it's not coming off yet."

He leaned down and kissed her, hard. She sighed happily. When they pulled away, she stared into his eyes. "You know, I love you very much."

He felt a smile starting to form. "I love you too."

And so, hand in hand, they went to their wedding party.

* * *

Author's Notes

1. Traditional betrothal gifts include a fan, dried cuttlefish and bonito, and money. Also (and this is the expensive part) an obi and hakama. The villagers of Kanna aren't exactly wealthy enough to afford those.

2. Since Satoru is his friend, Ukyo did offer to help him build his house, but it didn't end well. Mainly because Ukyo's skill with machinery only extends to guns.

3. Ukyo probably wouldn't forget his own wedding date, but Kirara actually followed Akemi's advice anyway. Not only did she carve the date into the wall of their bedroom, she wrote it on a sheet of rice paper and tacked it above the stove.

Next Chapter

There is no next chapter. I hope all of you who have stayed with me this far will have enjoyed your reading! Reviews, comments, and/or cookies are always appreciated.


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